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Call us Myanmar, please, not Burma
Published on Sunday, 27 January 2013 21:18
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a press release on Friday to object to the usage of "Burma" in the statement made earlier by the US Embassy to Myanmar regarding the conflicts in Kachin State.
Although US President Barack Obama has addressed the country as "Myanmar" during his visit to the country and at the ASEAN-US Summit held in Cambodia last November, the US Embassy has continued to use the words "Burma", "Burmese Government", and "Burmese Military", which are not in line with the international ethics, the press release said.
"Myanmar hopes that the US Embassy will avoid in future actions that may affect mutual respect, mutual understanding and cooperation which have recently been restored between the two countries," the press release stated.
The press release also criticized the US Embassy for failing to "mention anything about terrorist actions and atrocities committed by the Kachin Independent Army against the innocent people, destruction of life and property and abduction, but on the other hand, elaborating the events as if only the Myanmar Government and the Tatmadaw(army) launched the offensive."
The US Embassy issued a press release on Thursday to express alarm over the conflict in Kachin State.
Citing media and non-governmental organisation reports, the press release stated that government troops were continuing “an offensive in the vicinity of the Kachin Independence Army headquarters in Laiza” despite the ceasefire announced last week.
“The United States strongly opposes the ongoing fighting, which has resulted in civilian casualties and undermined efforts to advance national reconciliation,” it said.
Washington also said it was “deeply concerned about the safety of civilians in the area” and repeated its call to allow “unhindered access to those in need of assistance from the United Nations and international humanitarian agencies”.