The National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma marked its 16th anniversary yesterday with calls for national reconciliation and increased humanitarian aid.

In a statement NCGUB prime minister Dr Sein Win said conditions in Burma remained dire.

“In this kind of situation, Burma needs to be free. Being free will not be possible without national reconciliation. Everything is deteriorating gradually,” Sein Win said.

“We are encouraging humanitarian aid to reach the hands of people who really need it. This is our policy . . . we need to have unity among the people for all to have the national spirit in order to try to build democracy and a federal union.”