2014 Census In Myanmar Must Be Universal And Inclusive Of Rohingyas: Rohingya Organisations

SINGAPORE, May 7 (Bernama) -- Several Rohingya organisations have made a call for the 2014 census in Myanmar to be universal and inclusive of the Rohingya people. The call was made by the Arakan Rohingya National Organisation (ARNO), Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK), Burmese Rohingya Association Japan (BRAJ), Burmese Rohingya Community in Australia (BRCA), Burmese Rohingya Community in Norway (BRCN), Burmese Rohingya Association in Thailand (BRAT) and Burmese Rohingya for Democracy in Burma (RLDB) in a joint statement, here, Sunday. They said recently the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) agreed to support Myanmar’s proposed 2014 population and housing census. "But Rights groups worry that if not conducted properly, the census could marginalise minorities such as the Rohingyas or those living in one of Myanmar's many conflict areas. "No true census has ever taken place in Myanmar, and great injustice has been done to the ethnic Rohingyas. "We, therefore, urge the United Nations, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), United Kingdom, USA, European Union, Asean and Myanmar’s neighbours to put pressure on the Myanmar government to genuinely include Rohingya as a 'national race' in Myanmar's proposed census," they said. The statement said due to persecution, an estimated 1.5 million Rohingyas have taken refuge in Bangladesh and other countries. To ensure the census is universal and "inclusive of all national races", the statement said the oppressive 1982 citizenship law should be amended in conformity with international conventions, and international custom and principles generally recognised with regard to nationality. In addition, it should be brought in line with the principles embodied in the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness of August 30, 1961. "Suitable arrangements should also be made for the inclusion of all Rohingya and other Burmese diasporas," the statement said. -- BERNAMA