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Red Cross president visits conflict zones, prisons
Published on Tuesday, 15 January 2013 19:33
The president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Peter Maurer, met with President Thein Sein yesterday on the second day of his visit to the country, according to the ICRC’s office here.
Maurer is planning to visit prisons and conflict areas after meeting with President Thein Sein at the Presidential Palace in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday, the office said. It did not, however, release an itinerary of Maurer’s visit.
The ICRC and government authorities have been working together to improve conditions in prisons and upgrade wastewater systems around the country.
Prisons in Mawlamyaing, Myaungmya, Hpa-Ann are being improved while improvements at four more have been scheduled, an ICRC spokesperson said.
The ICRC set up an office here in 1986 to provide humanitarian protection and assistance for prisoners and to work on other prison-related issues with the government.
It closed its office in 2005 due to instability in the country, but reopened it last July following negotiations with the new civilian government.
One of its priorities is to ensure that all prisons in Myanmar have electricity, sewage and sanitation system, an official at its office here said.