Burmese Language
Census risks marginalising Rohingya
Burma’s landmark census planned for 2014 is likely to exclude and further isolate its Rohingya minority group, which has been denied citizenship by the government since 1982.
Although the government has agreed to include all “national races” in the census, the 1.5 million Muslim minority group does not fall under this category and campaigners worry they will be left out.
“It is very likely that the Rohingya will be excluded from the census in 2014,” Tun Khin, President of the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK told DVB. “Despite signs of political reforms in the past six months, Thein Sein’s government has reaffirmed specific deeply discriminatory policies against [them].”
Considered illegal Bengali immigrants by the government, the Rohingya cannot travel without special permits and are routinely denied the right to education, healthcare and family life. They face jail terms unless they obtain permission to marry and are bound by a rigid two-child policy.
The President’s advisor U Ko Ko Hlaing recently defended the government’s policy to restrict the movements of the Rohingya to certain townships – mainly in northern Arakan state – for “security” reasons.
The director general of the department of population, Myint Kyaing, who is leading the census project in collaboration with the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), has himself previously denied there are any Rohingya in Burma.
“We have no stateless people in Myanmar [Burma] and there are no Rohingya in Myanmar [Burma] as well, because no Bengali people are residing [here],” he said.
UNFPA Representative Mohamed Abdel-Ahad told DVB that the Rohingya had not yet been specifically discussed, but insisted that “the census will be inclusive.”
Up to 400,000 Rohingya have sought refuge from religious and racial persecution in neighbouring Bangladesh, where they often face further discrimination. The Bangladeshi government has only recognised 28,000 refugees, leaving the rest in the shadows of statelessness and social exclusion.
A 2010 report by Physicians for Human Rights concluded that “Bangladeshi authorities have waged an unprecedented campaign of arbitrary arrest, illegal expulsion, and forced internment against Burmese refugees.”
The Rohingya were stripped of their Burmese citizenship in 1982 by former military chief Ne Win on the basis of being “non-nationals”. But Rohingya groups insist they have lived in Burma for generations, citing evidence of political participation dating as far back as 1936.
Reports of racism against Rohingya are widespread in Burmese society. Last year, a BBC report that identified Arakan state as populated by the group caused an outrage across Burma, culminating in threats to boycott the media outlet.
Even democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD) has refused to speak out on behalf of the Rohingya. When pressed on the issue in a recent BBC World interview, a senior official for the NLD replied:
“I don’t want to answer because even in our organisation the Rohingya question has not been settled. Even in our leadership some of them think that the Rohingya is a very delicate question.”
Both the US and EU have called for greater rights for the Rohingya, but it is unclear what level or priority they will be afforded in Burma’s reform process. Campaigners say the NLD’s voice is crucial.
“Instead of staying silent, [Suu Kyi] should speak up,” said Tun Khin. “I believe she is currently paying more attention to mainstream politics.”
Tags: census, reforms, rohingya
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Population census counts all people in the country at census time, regardless of nationality or religion. Politics is not involved.
There is nothing to do with Su kyi positioned about 6% in military run parliament. If she agreed with Rohingya in this moment, she could lost majority who refuse Rohingya.
No matter who rule the country, the difficulties face by minorities will be continued since the state religion was changed Buddhism and central governing has been took over by elite-Burman.
More than more, Su Kyi will kindly reply thatRohingya matter is its internal and it can be solved internally. Nevertheless, she will ask any changes regard to Rohingya to be passed through parliament. Then majority will vote against Rohingya.
Becasue of Rohingyans are Muslim by religion, their problems even exist in exile and discrimination base on religion is continued. You could easily find such discrimination in unhcr fields. Why Rohingyan refugees have to languish 3 decades in neighboring countries and unhcr-camps.
Rohingya are basically illegal immigrant of Bangladesh. Their mother land is Bangladesh and they are taking up our land in Rakhine for decades and we do not want them. They should go back to Bangladesh where there ancestors used to live.
ွShit, What the hell terrorist & stupid media…..
rohingas are not Myanmar. they came during colonial times cos Burmese or myanmars those days were week. Yangon was full of kalars.
apart from land colonialism, there is religious coloniaolism. rohingas are muslims. if they are to be myanmars soon they will take voer buddhists and turn them into muslims. Christians als expand their religious colonies in Burma/myanmar. Some myanmars are so blind.
myanmars will become divided and weaker and weaker.
so rohingas should go back to bangladesh or bengal in India.
some myanmars cannot see future.
they think they are so clever when they let kalars, brown or white, infilterate and destroy myanmar culture.
Who are those people claiming part of our nation- I’ve never heard of those people exist in our country
They are not Myanmar Nationality. They are just the Bangaladesh people and for me, in my opinion, I really can’t accept them as Myanmar Nationality. I work in NGO so that I know about them very well and you will know it when you go there and see at Rakhine region. They are just trying to spread the Muslim religion in Myanmar. So our country is Buddhist country and I don’t want to see that my country is going to turn to be Muslim country. Whatever you think that I’m racist or not, I disagree to accept them as Myanmar Nationality.
they are illegal immigrants . it is as simple as that.
If World Community wants fair census 2014, means all ethnic minority issues must be solved by 2014 otherwise it will be a fake census and abusing democracy. All population living abroad must be counted in the census. Ethnic minorities especially majority Rohingyas are living in many countries. Census must be fair and it should be delayed if there is no complete democratic reform in Myanmar.
BAMMA colonism in Arakan state of Burma,Burmese king want to clean Rohingya out from the Arakan totaly and they have been attacking to Rohingya since 1404,1784,1942,1952,1962,1978 and 1992.
why you delete my comments ? You are afraid that ur fund raisers might see my comments right ?? Whether you delete my comments or not, I dont care. What I want to tell you is we are doing the kinda campaign not to accept these Bangali people as Myanmar Nationality. Really cant accept them as Myanmar Nationality. they just come to my country to spread their religion.
daw suu kyi will never speak for muslim rohingya, she wil only take care buddist, karen, shan, n kachin,NLD will never speak of muslim right in myanmar, Rohingya should better support other party.
If Rohingya are illegal immigrants what about all those ilegal Chines immigrant “businessmen”? Just because they have a lighter skin and have more money makes them more like “noble Burmese” That would be hypocritical and racist!
Most of you guys have still backward-stereotypical-retard thinking. At least try to learn world history.
ps// Buddha is kalar.
Bangalis are not ethnic people of Burma. They migrated from Bangaladesh in many ways in a long time. Their skin, dialect and religion are the same as Bangali in Bangaladesh. Most Burmese peope do not accept Bangali as ethnic people. We do not want racial discriminate on this issue. You can live as guest or old resident in our land, however, you should not demand ethnic right. Bangalis are intimidating they are ethnic people of Burma is very ugly and stupidly abuse on kindness and humble of Burmese people’ heart. You can stay in Burma in many ways, however, you should not try to pose as pretending ethnic people of Myanmar and do not vow your origin of fake name in rohinja. rohinja is outlawed ward in our history.
here’s a song for all you racist haters.. peace out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DmYLrxR0Y8
what kinds of democracy You gaining in burma, You Rakhine people why don’t see by democratic eyes. I will give you 2 examples here, 1. if Mr. obama a son of african can be president of USA 2. some rakhine can be MP or Minister of bangladeshand Daw su kyi’s sons were britons. why rohingyas are born in burma can’t be burma national. think only with democratic right.
Dear Naing Win Zahid,
You threw all those years: 1404,1784,1942,1952,1962,1978 and 1992.
Can you provide me any historical (before 1950s) evidence such as stone script and artifacts with so called “Rohingya” name on it? I am willing to test any historical evidence scientifically.
My grandpa has been living in this country (U.S) since 1946. Does that mean Burmese is an ethnic people of U.S? If so, please lobby U.S government so that we can have the same rights as Red Indians and don’t pay tax and open big casino and make millions.
Bangladesh knows very well that Rohingyas are not Burmese and genetically belongs to Bengali. However as Bangladesh wants to spread Muslims into Burma so that they could profit politically, they ignore about Rohingya issue and let it messed into Burma.
The problem is Burmese dumb politicians used Rohingyas just to get their votes in the past which allowed Rohingya to remain in Burma. Rohingya is a ping-pong ball plays between Bangladesh and Burma but so far Bangladesh is playing the advantage.
If even Suu Kyi keeps mum on Rohingya issue, we have to know that there is something very bad that we should not discuss right now. The time is not yet ripe to clear this this mess. I’m not chasing Rohingya but leave it to Suu Kyi to deal with it as I put my vote on her for Burma future.
sooner or later,the truth comes to light
The issue of ROHINGYA OR BENGALI Immigrant is a very old one date back to decades while Burma was Asia’s Golden land, we needed labour to produce the agricaltural and fisheries produces.The British brough the so called Rohingyas to Burma.In current Burma many ethnic peoples lives side by side with any problem.The Rohingyas who now live and work abroad almost all hold Bangladeshi passport.If these people travel overseas holding Bangladesh passport then I simply don’t understand how could they claim to be the citizen of modern Burma?and want to be recognised as Burmese nationals.
Rohingya is not even an ethnic and why on earth Myanmar government should give ethnic rights to them? They might get humanitarian aid as the “illegal” immigrants to Myanmar. But “ethnic” right is nowhere equivalent to “human” right.
As long as genuine Myanmar ethnics are alive, even if we do it by official voting, Bengali immigrants will never be an ethnic. It’s our, genuine Myanmar’s ethnics, pure right.
The Rohinja is not an ethnic race of Myanmar. In fact, they don’t want to be a part of Myanmar ethnicity. They want to retain their religion, ensure Islam spreads through multiplying their population and they do this by marrying up to four wives and have dozens of offspring.
Their men wear the Bengali dress, their women wear the burkha, gloves and socks so that being seen by men will not sin them.
Trying to marry one of our ethnic women is an objective many Rohinja men have, and are rewarded accordingly by their society and the mosque. Their mosque elders preach girls should not attain higher than 3rd grade and that women are to serve men and their libido.
They practice female circumcision, using crude bamboo blades and incising little girls’ genitalia off! And yes, their old men line up to buy up little girls on reaching puberty.
They look to and are inspired by Saudi Arabia.
Now, which part of them is us???
And the worse of all?
When a Muslim(no matter how good) sees another Muslim about to blow up a school full of children, they will not tell.
And the best of all?
The one thing our army has managed to do good for us is keeping them out! And I thank the army for it. I hope our future governments will continue to keep them out, for all our sakes.
To DVB and Hana HINdstorm,
You have responsibilites for this article.You should learn the lesson from BBC that was disgraced by this kind of wrong news.You will lose our trust.Our country needs Census to control everything such as illegal migration .If you are very human or human rights country, take all the rohingyas to your country.We’r gonna be happy then.Try not to happen like Utoya again in your country first. then talk about rohingyas.
Thank you.
All r know history.all r know true.but why rohingyas are still live in burma or arakan?it is the right time to get out all rohingyas from arakan and whole burma.otherways,we cnt control them in future.arakan is no for any illegal nationalities.
After reading all comments above and then i am thinking WHY MOST PEOPLE COOMENTS ARE FREEDOM EXPRESSION BUT WE HAVE TO KNOW “WE ARE IN NEW MORDEN WORLD OF SOCICETY WHERE DEMOCRACY,HUMAN RIGHT, JUSTIC,EQUALITY are basic principles human life. Why hateness, jelious, discrimanation. We lived together for a long times centuries same land same countries side by side. The matter of censorship of population 2014 can not distory ROHINGYA INSHLLAH. I like to say all Rakhine and myanmar people who are living inside and outside country LET US to cerate Myanmar as a country of HUMAN RIGHT AND DEMOCRACY IDEAL COUNTRY AMONG WORLD with the principle of religious tolerant, diversity of ethinic and multi culture.I wonder why NLD LEADER DAW SUU is hesitating to stand by side of justic and human right. If noble peace prize winner and pro democracy winner will worry in favour of Anti. Rohingya group, then i am here a Question…. Do you know how we pray a lot for around the world while you was house arrest and hope ONE DAY JUSTICE WILL BE BACK. BUT unfortunately still there is injustic. But hope will never die, finally a day justice will be come By God.