It is becoming clear that the unmuzzled press is asking the right questions. Unfortunately the answers given by their informants are not clear.

The concerns of the government for the security of MSF Holland staff are amusing. Everyone working for an international organisation in Myanmar is used to hearing this false concern given as a 'reason' to restrict travel. Unless Dr Aye Nyein knows there is an attack coming. Who paid for the equipment used in the protest shown at 1:40 here - bbc.in/1cwLKsj? - the tshirts, headbands, and signs (in English!)?

People in Rakhine of all ethnicities will suffer without MSF Holland services. Rohingya in Sittwe have nothing else. And people living with HIV and tuberculosis will start running out of medication soon.

Jamie

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MSF ban "temporary", Rakhine officials insist
Fiona Macgregor and Shwe Yee Saw Myint
Myanmar Times
Thursday, 06 March 2014

The closure of Médecins Sans Frontières operations in Rakhine State is only "temporary", a Union Government health official has insisted, but a senior state official says it will likely be at least seven months before the aid group is allowed to resume activities in the trouble-hit region.

Ministry of Health deputy director general Dr Soe Lwin Nyein told The Myanmar Times in Sittwe that MSF's expulsion from Rakhine State would not be permanent. However, he said he could not estimate the duration of the ban.

Rakhine State Department of Health director Dr Aye Nyein said it would not likely be rescinded until October or November. He said fears that this month’s census would prompt more communal violence had contributed to the decision to evict the organisation's staff.

The Myanmar Times understands, however, that MSF has not been informed that the ban is temporary, or offered a date for a possible resumption of services.

The group has declined to comment publicly on the situation while negotiations continue but reports suggest MSF has been instructed to withdraw its staff from Rakhine as soon as possible.

There are concerns that the decision to evict the international aid organisation, which has worked in Myanmar for more than 20 years and has more than 600 staff in Rakhine State alone, has potentially put hundreds of patients' lives at risk, particularly those with HIV/AIDS or TB who rely on regular access to medicine.

UN agencies and major INGOs working in the region say local health organisations lack the facilities and human resources to replace the services provided by MSF. Patients in remote and rural areas, which aid organisations have been serving via mobile clinics, are said to be particularly vulnerable.

Another key area of concern is the potential shortfall in treatments for the Rohingya Muslim population, many of whom face restrictions on movement that limit their access to the state health system.

A government statement released on March 2 indicated that the authorities would consider allowing MSF to resume operations in Rakhine if certain conditions, which were not specified, are met.

But Dr Soe Win Nyein insisted the national government fully expects MSF to resume work in the state. “[It has been] temporarily suspended. It is not permanent,” he said.

He added the Ministry of Health was capable of managing the health needs of "the whole community" in Rakhine State, adding, "We don't need to lose any lives [because of the ban]."

"The Ministry of Health is taking all the national health services to the community [including IDPs] … the ministry is doing routine health services."

Asked why MSF was being pressured by the state government to leave Rakhine immediately, Dr Aye Nyein said the government fears staff from the organisation, which has been accused by many ethnic Rakhine of favouring the Rohingya, may be attacked if they are not moved out quickly.

He said the government is also “afraid” that its staff could be targeted by Rakhine community groups if it allows MSF to stay.

Dr Aye Nyein said the state government was also concerned about preventing “further social conflict at the end of [this] month [when] we will start the census [and] we will be talking to both communities, Rakhine and Rohingya".

While state and local authorities say all arrangements have been made for Myanmar's first census in 30 years, a number of observers have cautioned that the census, particularly its questions on race and religion, could inflame tensions in some parts of the country, particularly Rakhine State.

After the census is completed the state government “will have negotiations with both communities and [maybe] in October or November" MSF will be allowed to return.

Whether a temporary shutdown will be enough to satisfy hard-line Rakhine community leaders is unclear.  Since the MSF closure was announced, a number of other INGOs and UN agencies in Rakhine State have been the target of online threats.

Meanwhile, a "watch group" of civil society representatives has been established in Sittwe to monitor INGO activities.

Asked if the banning of MSF would encourage activists to target other international aid organisations, Dr Aye Nyein said “depend[ed] on the activities of the organisation. They must have transparency about what they are doing for both communities."

http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/national-news/9759-msf-ban-temporary-rakhine-officials-insist.html