Rohingyas - The Cry for Citizenship

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Why in news?

As the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar’s Rakhine Province has been worsening, the citizenship status of Rohingyas calls for a closer look.

What are legal provisions that render them stateless?

• Under Myanmar’s discriminatory 1982 citizenship law, only those who trace their residence in the country to before 1823.
• Although Rohingyas have a history dating as early as the 15^th century, Official records mark their entry only in 1826.
• A list of 135 ethnic groups who could claim citizenship was published by the government in 1990 and that too did not include the Rohingyas.

How has the plight of the stateless Rohingyas fared thus far?

• The “Rangoon University Rohingya Students Association” was among the many ethnic student associations that functioned in the mid 20^th century.
• Even after the military takeover in 1962, the Rohingyas continued to live with the status quo of statelessness but without the fear of prosecution.
• They voted in every election from 1948 until 2010, each time after being issued “temporary scrutiny cards”.
• The authorities also promised twice in the 2008 constitution referendum and 2010 election that a permanent National Scrutiny Card will soon be issued to all the Rohingyas.
• In the 2010, the military even sent three Rohingya MPs to Parliament.
• Sadly, in the 2015 election that was touted as the first full democratic election in Myanmar since 1962, the Rohingya were disenfranchised.

What has been the recent positive developments?

• The Myanmar government appointed “Advisory Commission on Rakhine State” submitted its report recently.
• The Commission, has strongly recommended a review of the 1982 citizenship laws and specifically pointed to the slow and sporadic process of citizenship verification, which has covered only 10,000 Rohingya since 2014.
• Ms.Suu Kyi’s office has welcomed the report’s recommendations and added that it would have a positive impact on the process of reconciliation and development.
• The powerful military has however rejected the report.

Source: Indian Express