Germany halts aid projects in Myanmar

The German government says it has halted several aid projects in Myanmar due to violence in the country that has caused hundreds of thousands of ethnic Rohingya Muslims to flee their homes.

Development Ministry spokeswoman Katharina Maenz said Monday that Germany mainly funds programs that support food security, job creation and medical care.

Maenz said the programs are "dormant" in those areas where violence is occurring and would be resumed as soon as it stops.

Government spokesman Steffen Seibert said Germany is closely watching the "dramatic situation" in Buddhist-majority Myanmar. He called on all parties to the conflict and "in particular the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi," the country's leader, to take measures to end the violence.

(ABC)