Rohingya
(Brussels) Today, the European Commission has announced a new humanitarian aid package worth €9 million to “address the needs of families affected by violence in Myanmar, particularly those living in the Kachin, Shan and Rakhine states”. This includes €2 million to increase access to primary and secondary education for children who are out of school due to the displacements. Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection, Christos Stylianides, explained: “The situation in Myanmar goes beyond the plight of the Rohingya refugees. We cannot forget the victims in Myanmar who have been displaced from their homes due to the on-going violence in the country. The protection of civilians continues to be a top priority for the EU. The assistance we are announcing today aims to protect those most vulnerable who are deprived of basic rights”. EU aid will “improve living conditions in camps, by repairing shelter and water and hygiene infrastructures. Furthermore, projects will have a specific focus on prevention and response to gender-based violence and respect for international humanitarian law”. The European Union has funded humanitarian operations in Myanmar since 1994, “providing a total of more than €249 million in emergency relief programmes to assist victims of both conflict and natural disasters”.
