merrion street

Minister of State for International Development and the Diaspora, Ciarán Cannon T.D., visited Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar on 20-21 November to participate in the ASEM Foreign Ministers' Meeting which was chaired by Myanmars State Counsellor Aung San Sui Kyi. 

"In my speech to the meeting I pointed out that people of all cultures need to feel respected and connected to their wider community. Alienation, as we in Ireland know only too well, can lead to conflict, strife and an undermining of people's most basic human rights."

Minister Cannon also had a separate meeting with Myanmar's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, U Kyaw Tin, where he discussed Ireland's bilateral relations with Myanmar, the democratic transition process in Myanmar, and the ongoing situation in Rakhine State.  

"In my meeting with Minister U Kyaw Tin, I conveyed the Irish Government's deep concern at the serious human rights violations committed by security forces in Northern Rakhine State, and the catastrophic humanitarian crisis which has developed as a result. I condemned the violence which has primarily been directed towards the Rohingya community, and I urged the Government of Myanmar to urgently restore full access to humanitarian aid to the area. 

It is Ireland's belief that the full and swift implementation of the recommendations of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State will be critical for the region's long-term peace and stability and I also conveyed this to my Myanmar counterpart. I welcomed the ongoing efforts between the Governments of Myanmar and Bangladesh to negotiate a Memorandum of Understanding on the return of refugees, and indicated that the process of returning refugees to their homes should be voluntary, safe and sustainable. It is critical that the repatriation programme works to the benefit of all refugees and I urged the Minister to ensure that the conditions for those returning should enable livelihoods and support the restoration of trust within and among the communities of Rakhine State.

While in Myanmar I also met with the UN Resident Coordinator Knut Ostby, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Trócaire and Plan International, who briefed me on the important humanitarian and development work which those organisations are doing in Myanmar. I indicated that Ireland will continue to provide support for their efforts by way of funding from Irish Aid. It is clear that the situation in Myanmar remains extremely challenging.  It is also very complex, with serious issues to be resolved in other parts of Rakhine State and in other states within the country.  Fundamentally, the democratic transition process which is underway provides the best way forward for bringing peace, reconciliation, and socio-economic development to the country. Ensuring accountability for the actions of the security forces in Rakhine State and addressing the underlying root causes of the recent violence there will be a key test for the Government of this young democracy. In my meetings, I conveyed Ireland's willingness to support the genuine efforts of the Government to address these issues as well as its long term development needs."