Naturalized Citizenship for Rohingya, Why?

Even though Myanmar government is talking with ethnic arm groups to get peace in Burma,Rohingyas are not included there. The future of Rohingya’s is uncertain. Violence against Muslim is still happening with total impunity. Humanitarian aids are still blocked for Rohingya IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) camps. People are starving and dying every day in the camps. Many Rohingya have to flee from their country. Now it is appearing as a regional problem.Some refugee in Rakhine state  are forcibly move to new shelters which is even worse than previous camps near the sea where is the cyclone effected area aiming to settle permanently them. They are facing total annihilation in their own land.It is almost one and half year now, until today we don’t see any step to taking by the government to give security, to access education, health and livelihood and resettlement for the IDPs.

Nowadays the Burmease government has suggested that they might allow Rohingya to apply for naturalized citizenship under the 1982 citizenship law, which is contrary with universality of Human rights,to satisfy the foreign pressure .And also some countries have said that they could support this plan. When we spoke to representatives from the USA, Britain, France and, even EU office from Yangon they agree with that. They tried to encourage Rohingya to accept naturalized citizen.

That is not the right solution because they had been already full citizen of Burma with the status of indigenous. This citizen was stripped of after 1982 citizenship law was enacted. Again Naturalization under 1982 citizenship law in Myanmar is not the same naturalization with other countries like other countries have. Naturalization in Myanmar does not have the same right with birth citizens. They are restricted in political rights, economic rights, property rights and socio cultural rights. And also it can be revoke any time by the state. Naturalized citizens are like second class citizen. By categorizing Rohingya in this way it would contribute to even more discrimination, formalize Rohingya reduced status in society leading more violence in the future. ***

Author: Ma Wai Wai, is an activist and professional who lead young women network (Arakan). She has been concerned on women and justice for many years.