The logjam between the International Committee of the Red Cross and an adamant Burmese military junta continues. The ICRC said it has failed to adhere to the requests of family members of political prisoners to continue prison visits, as there has been no breakthrough in negotiations with the ruling junta over its programme.

The Geneva based UN aid agency, which terminated its prison visits in late 2005 following interference by a junta-backed organization, said family members of political prisoners have requested them to continue their programme as it would help improve the situation of prisoners.

Thierry Ribaux, ICRC’s deputy head of delegation in Burma, said as there has been no progress so far in negotiations with the ruling junta on prison visits, the group has been conducting home visits and facilitating meetings between political prisoners and family members.

“We have two programmes still continuing today, one is support to orthopedics prospective facility and another one is to support what we call family visiting programme, which is visits by relative to detainees or prisoners,” Ribaux said.

While the ICRC has been open to dialogue with the ruling junta to negotiate its prison visits, Ribaux said so far there has been no progress, with no sign of talks with the government in the near future.

The ICRC, which maintained a presence in Burma since 1999, terminated its prison visits in December 2005 when junta-backed civil organization – Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) – insisted on accompanying it in its prison visits.

The ICRC said it has a global standard of conducting programmes independently and refused to allow the USDA members to accompany them.

The junta in a further restriction in ICRC work forced a temporary shut-down of its five field offices in October 2006. But the government continues to impose restriction even when it allowed re-opening of the field offices.

In response to the restrictions, the ICRC in March 2007 closed down two of its field offices and reduced its staff. The ICRC further said that it is seriously considering the closure of its other three field offices.

Though the ICRC continues to maintain its presence, there has not been much activity by the group, Ribaux said.