The Myanmar government plans to carry out a nationwide citizenship scrutiny process, despite fears that it could lead to unrest, the Myanmar Times reported.
Immigration and Population Minister Thein Swe announced the plans on Friday in response to a proposal submitted by an MP from Rakhine State who asked for action on alleged illegal immigration. Other MPs seconded the motion.
“In Buthidaung and Maungdaw, there is a population of more than 500,000 people who have yet to be scrutinized under the citizenship law,” MP Oo Hla Saw, who represents the Arakan National Party n Rakhine’s Mrauk-U Township. “That number is greater than in Chin State. So it is the government’s duty to give them the rights they deserve by scrutinizing [their eligibility] in accordance with the law.”
He referred to the population of hundreds of thousands of persecuted Rohingya Muslims, dismissed as “Bengali” or illegal immigrants from Bangladesh by the previous military-backed government.
They are not among Myanmar’s official 135 ethnic groups and should not be included, Oo Hla Swe said. “We can’t let it happen. If they are recognized as our native [people], then they will hope for a self-administration region.”
Minister Thein Swe promised the scrutinizing would be transparent, amid fears it could lead to violence. Intercommunal violence between Buddhists and Muslims left dozens dead in Rakhine state and Meikhtila in 2012 and 2013.
“To achieve this process, everyone must cooperate and we need stability,” said Oo Hla Swe. “This is a very fragile issue so there is a likelihood of instability.”
In February last year, then President Thein Sein revoked Rohingya Muslims’ Temporary Registration Cards, or so-called ‘white cards’, leaving many without any form of identity document.
The process of obtaining identity documents has been blighted by allegations of corruption and bribery.
Kachin State Democracy Party MP La Mar Naw Aung told the Times that immigrants had bribed their way across the border.
“In Kachin State, there are also illegal immigrants from neighboring countries,” he said. “So Kachin State will be like Rakhine State sooner or later.”
