US to provide $25m for displaced people in Myanmar

The U.S. government will provide a total of 25 million U.S. dollars in new aid to address the dire humanitarian situation faced by displaced communities in Myanmar's Rakhine and Kachin states, the U.S. embassy here confirmed Tuesday. The new aid also covers southeast region of Shan, Karen, Kayah and Mon states. "This assistance responds to ongoing humanitarian emergencies in Rakhine and Kachin and long-standing displacement in the Southeast region," the embassy said. The U.S. government vowed to work closely with the Myanmar government and local communities to continue to meet life-saving needs and achieve lasting solutions for the country's displace people, it added. The provision of the new aid came after respective visits to these areas by a joint diplomatic mission from the United States, Switzerland and Britain during October and November to witness the political and humanitarian situation there. According to earlier report, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) had extended 7.28 million dollars in emergency aid to victims of violence in Rakhine State as of January this year since June 2012. Inter-communal conflict in Rakhine State flared up in June 2012 and surged again in October of the year, displacing over 100,000 people and resulting in the loss of lives, housing, and others.