Aung San Suu Kyi calls for more aid to ethnic areas

Naw Zipporah Sein, the Karen National Union’s general secretary welcomed a statement from Daw Aung San Suu Kyi calling for more development in ethnic areas.

Noble peace prize Laurent, Aung San Suu Kyi, asked for foreign investors and international development aid providers to consider working not only in central Burma, but also in ethnic rural areas.

Aung San Suu Kyi was speaking to reporters outside her house after meeting with the Foreign Minister of Poland.

“For those who want to do development or make investment in Burma, they should not only do it in central Burma where the majority of the population is Burman, they should also consider doing it in ethnic areas.”

The KNU’s Zipporah Sein agreed with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

“At the moment, the majority of international aid is being channeled to inside Burma. It is also important that if part of this aid can also reach ethnic areas that are in desperate need.”

M’s Sein said that hundreds of thousands of displaced people in ethnic states are at risk.

“The thousands of internally displaced people in Karen and other ethnic States still need humanitarian assistance. We want humanitarian aid channeled for work inside Burma, but we also want to see the continued support for cross border assistance to populations in need.”

M’s Sein acknowledged that if international aid is only directed through to populations inside Burma, it will leave many displaced people in difficulties.

“It is important to keep delivering humanitarian assistance effectively to those who are in desperate need because despite the optimism of the current situation, there hasn’t been much change on the ground. All humanitarian aid shouldn’t go through central Burma. We welcome Daw Suu’s statement.”

Suu Kyi pointed out to reporters that even though there are many civilians in central Burma living in poverty, there are many more ethnic nationalities that are living in more dire poverty and in need of assistance.

The Polish Foreign Minister also met with President U Thein Sein and reached a bilateral agreement, which Poland will offer a scholarship program for Burmese citizens.

Daw Nan Khin Htwe Myint, the head of the National League for Democracy in Karen State said that there are many areas of development needed in Karen State.

“Since Karen State hasn’t been a peaceful state, it is now similar to a mound of ashes after a fire. More aid is needed. It will be good to have more roads for better transportation, have more job opportunities and have development projects that don’t destroy our environment.”

In Burma, there are eleven major ethnic armed resistance groups which have been waging war against different times of the Burmese military government. According to figures from Non-Governmental Organizations, there are over 400,000 internally displaced people in Burma.