Bangkok, Nov. 27 (Reuters): Military-ruled Myanmar has ordered the Red Cross to close its five field offices in the former Burma, effectively ending its humanitarian work in ethnic conflict areas.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which has already been forced to end visits to political prisoners, said today that its work had been reduced to a few, limited projects.

Assistance programmes for civilians in ethnic minority border areas, where low-level civil war has existed for decades, were “severely hampered then prevented completely”, the ICRC said on its website (www.icrc.org). “The ICRC utterly deplores the decision by the Myanmar authorities to close its field offices,” it said. “It places in jeopardy the accomplishments of the humanitarian work already carried out on behalf of the most vulnerable among the country’s population.”