22 December

The Japanese government announced yesterday that it would provide assistance for the return of displaced persons in conflict areas in Kachin State as the situation there is becoming stable.

“While the conflicts are still occurring in Rakhine State and the Northeast part of Myanmar, the situation is becoming stable in Northern Kachin State, and the discussions among the Myanmar Government, the Myanmar Army, Kachin Independence Army-KIA and Civil Society Organizations-CSO on the return of refugees and ceasefire are in progress,” said the statement released by the Japanese embassy yesterday.

Mr. Sasakawa Yohei, Special Envoy of the Government of Japan for National Reconciliation in Myanmar, and Mr. Maruyama Ichiro, Ambassador of Japan to Myanmar, held the press conference in Myitkyina Township, Kachin State, yesterday and announced the decision.

Both the public and private sectors of Japan are providing the utmost support for democratic nation building of Myanmar. Especially, together with Mr. Sasakawa Yohei, Japan has been facilitating dialogues between the related parties in order to promote the peace in ethnic minority areas.

The decision comes after CSO requested the Japanese Government through Mr. Sasakawa Yohei for assistance to promote the resettlement of refugees in the areas where security has been assured.

The statement said that the Japanese Government hopes the assistance would contribute to improving humanitarian situation in Kachin State and reaching the ceasefire agreement as soon as possible and also that the Myanmar government, the Myanmar Army and ethnic armed groups would continue to hold peace talks in future.—GNLM