Burmese officials began the first national census in three decades today, causing tensions over the government’s decision to omit the Rohingya identity from the census.
Despite calls from the United Nations to allow all the people in Burma to choose their identity, Burmese officials said that the Muslim Rohingya must identify themselves as Bengali to be registered on the national census.
A government spokesperson, Ye Htut, outlined the official stance on the Rohingya identity, stating,
The lead up to the census has also been marred by violence and anti-Rohingya protests by Buddhist monks in Myanmar, who expressed outrage at allowing the Rohingya community to take part in the national census.
Buddhist protestors attack international aid agencies (27 March 2014)
Despite calls from the United Nations to allow all the people in Burma to choose their identity, Burmese officials said that the Muslim Rohingya must identify themselves as Bengali to be registered on the national census.
A government spokesperson, Ye Htut, outlined the official stance on the Rohingya identity, stating,
"If a household wants to identify themselves as 'Rohingya', we will not register it.”
The lead up to the census has also been marred by violence and anti-Rohingya protests by Buddhist monks in Myanmar, who expressed outrage at allowing the Rohingya community to take part in the national census.
Buddhist protestors attack international aid agencies (27 March 2014)