The Thailand-based Forum for Democracy in Burma has called on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to pressure Burma to lift restrictions on U.N. agencies working in the country.
In a statement Saturday, the rights group's secretary general, Naing Aung, urged ASEAN to intervene with the regime to guarantee freedom of activity and movement for international non-governmental organizations.
Forum for Democracy in Burma also denounced the Burmese junta as irresponsible and called on the United Nations to pressure the regime to grant its agencies a proper working environment.
The United Nations Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria said Friday it is cutting funding to Burma because of government travel restrictions on its workers. The action affects nearly 36 million dollars in medical funds that would have gone to Burma over the next two years.
Information for this report is provided by AP.
