Anger as MPs refused visas by Myanmar

THE FAILURE by the Myanmar government to issue visas to members of the Commons International Development Committee is a “direct retaliation” for the report it published on the Rohingya crisis, its chairman has claimed.

Raising an urgent question in the Commons yesterday, Labour’s Stephen Twigg (Liverpool, West Derby) told MPs: “I understand Mr Speaker that it was Aung San Suu Kyi herself who blocked the approval of our visas.”

His comments came as Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific Mark Field said he was “deeply disappointed” by the move, adding that “this displeasure” had been communicated to the myanmar authorities.

He said: “This decision to deny visas is highly regrettable and will prevent the committee from seeing some of DfID’s work at first hand.” He added that the Government would remain committed to supporting Myanmar’s poorest and most vulnerable people.

Mr Field said his officials were informed the visa applications had been denied, with Myanmar officials indicating an extended public holiday in Myanmar and that access to Rakhine State remained restricted for security reasons.

He added they were unhappy individual members of the committee had signed a letter calling for the senior general of the Myanmar army to be held to account for the Myanmar military behaviour in Rakhine. He said he had spoken with the Myanmar ambassador to raise the status of the visas.