U.S. concerned by reports Myanmar suspends MSF in Rakhine State

By Jared Ferrie YANGON (Reuters) – The United States on Friday urged Myanmar to allow humanitarian agencies “unfettered access” in Rakhine state, following reports the government had ordered medical aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) to stop working there. The Nobel Prize-winning charity has been giving health care to both ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims, a mostly stateless minority who live in apartheid-like conditions and who otherwise have little access to healthcare. “Free, regular and open access is essential to ensure the benefits of humanitarian activities are delivered appropriately to all people of Rakhine State,” a U.S. embassy official told Reuters. Government spokesman Ye Htut told media that MSF had been ordered to cease operations.