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US Condemns Fatal Shooting of WHO Driver in Myanmar

Thet Niang

   RAKHINE STATE, MYANMAR - The U.S. State Department on Wednesday
   condemned the fatal attack on a marked U.N. vehicle in Myanmar's
   Rakhine state.

   The attack on the World Health Organization vehicle that killed the
   driver and injured another person occurred Monday as they were
   transporting swab samples from people possibly infected with the
   coronavirus to the National Health Laboratory in Yangon, the capital of
   Myanmar.

   "We understand these Burmese nationals were working to fight the
   COVID-19 pandemic when they came under attack," State Department
   spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement. "This egregious act
   undermines efforts to protect vulnerable populations in Burma and again
   highlights the urgent need for a cessation of fighting in Rakhine
   state. It also hinders global efforts to stop the spread of the virus.

   "We urge Burmese authorities to investigate the incident and bring the
   perpetrators to justice. Health and humanitarian workers across the
   globe must be able to work without threat of violence -- now more than
   ever."

   The WHO driver, Pyae Sone Win Maung, died early Tuesday in Minbya,
   according to a Myanmar government statement. The township is in a
   region marked by fighting between the Burmese military and the Arakan
   Army (AA), which the Myanmar government designated as a terrorist group
   in March.
   

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