GENEVA
Adrian Edwards, spokesperson of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), expressed concern over escalating tension and violence in Myanmar's Rakhine region following Thursday's incident which resulted injuries of two internally displaced people (IDP) and six locals.
Edwards held a press conference at UN Geneva Office and reminded that the incident occurred in the Kyein Ni Pyin IDP camp in Pauktaw township of Rakhine state and the UNHCR provided temporary shelter for the 4,400 people from the ethnic Rohingya community displaced in the region.
The violence is believed to have been triggered by false rumours that displaced people would be isolated and prevented from returning to their places of origin said Edwards and added, "When some of the displaced gathered at a nearby military post asking that the leader be handed over, gunfire was used by the authorities to disperse the crowd and resulting in the fatalities and wounding."
"UNHCR staff arrived at the scene shortly after to follow up with the victims' families and facilitate medical attention to the injured. We are also concerned about the safety of the village leader and his family," he added.
Stating that UNHCR was calling for an investigation into the incident, Edwards said, "The agency is appealing to the authorities to handle the matter in a peaceful and calm way to avoid fuelling further violence and loss of life."
Edwards also called for dialogue between the involved parties to resolve the grievance and stated that the government must build confidence with the communities and promote reconciliation, so that those displaced could eventually return to their areas of origin.
There are some 140,000 people displaced within Rakhine state since the eruption of viloence in June 2012.
