International relief organizations working in Myanmar welcomed last week’s call from British lawmakers for the U.K. Department for International Development to increase bilateral aid to £100 million ($166 million) — but are concerned the aid has not been inclusive enough and fear certain funding decisions could exacerbate ethnic tensions in the country.
The MPs’ inquiry concluded that support for development and democracy in Myanmar should be rapidly scaled up — even if results may be unpredictable — and said the United Kingdom should push harder for political reform in the former military state.
But Cord, a peacebuilding nongovernmental organization, noted the recommendations are overly focused on working with the central government and pay insufficient attention to rural voices.