The UK’s former ambassador to Myanmar has been detained within the Southeast Asian nation, sources have instructed Reuters.
Vicky Bowman, who presently runs the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business (MCRB), and her husband, Htein Lin, a Burmese artist and former political prisoner, had been held on Wednesday, it’s understood.
The arrest reportedly passed off in Yangon, previously often known as Rangoon, the biggest metropolis in Myanmar, which was once often known as Burma.
It just isn’t clear what costs they’ve been held on and a spokesperson for the Myanmar junta didn’t reply calls looking for remark.
A spokesperson for the British Embassy in Myanmar stated: “We are concerned by the arrest of a British woman in Myanmar. We are in contact with the local authorities and are providing consular assistance.”
The spokesperson didn’t title the lady involved.
Ms Bowman was the British ambassador to Myanmar between 2002 and 2006 and has greater than three a long time’ expertise within the nation.
A profile of her on the web site of the Institute for Human Rights and Business says she has been the Director of Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business (MCRB) since July 2013.
Before that, it says, she led world mining firm Rio Tinto’s coverage method to transparency, human rights and useful resource nationalism/useful resource curse points from 2011 and was Director of Global & Economic Issues and G8 sous-Sherpa for the United Kingdom from 2008-2011 and Head of the Southern Africa Department within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the UK Government from 2006-2007.
As effectively as serving as ambassador, she was additionally second secretary within the UK’s Myanmar embassy from 1990-1993. She has additionally labored in Brussels as Member of Cabinet of European Commissioner Chris Patten (1999-2002) and as press spokeswoman for the UK illustration to the EU (1996-1999).
Source: information.sky.com”