By Saeed Arakani | April 1, 2017
Kyauktaw — The Rohingya community in Kyauktaw unanimously
rejected the NV Cards also known as the National Verification Cards on Thursday
(Mar 30) after their compatriots in Maungdaw, Buthidaung and Sittwe (Akyab)
Townships, it has been reported.
The Mrauk-U District Immigration Chief, U Myint Thein;
the Kyauktaw Township Administrator and Immigration Chief; and other
administrative bodies held a meeting with the local Rohingyas at the village of
‘Khong Touk’ locally known as ‘Hondol’ in Kyauktaw at around 12:00 noon
regarding the issue of the NV Card.
During the meeting, the authorities lured the locals to
accept the NV Cards. The District Immigration Chief U Myint Thein said “if you
take NV Card, you can travel and do all other things. You can apply for
citizenship, too, after receiving the NV Cards.”
Meanwhile, an elderly Rohingya man stood up and said “the
1982 Citizenship Law has nothing to do with us. It’s not for us. We were one of
the indigenous groups even before the establishment of 1982 Citizenship Law.”
As he continued to express his views, the authorities abruptly stopped him and
insulted him “are you a lawyer or something? You don’t need to be a busybody.
So, be quiet.”
Then, the authorities asked the remaining people in the
meeting if they wanted to accept the NV Cards, to which all of the people
unanimously replied ‘NO.’
Before leaving the meeting at 1:30 pm, the authorities
did try to coax the people saying “those who have National Registration Cards
(NRCs) can apply for the Citizenship Cards. Those who don’t have NRCs must
accept the NV Cards.” But the people present didn’t seem interested in the
inducement.
The Rohingya people as a whole categorically reject the
NVC as it is meant to issue to the foreigners recently arrived in Myanmar and
valid for only two years. Therefore, accepting these cards will automatically
deprive the Rohingya people of their indigenous status with the identity
‘Rohingya,’ disqualify their citizenship rights by birth and deny them their
full rights as citizens.
The Myanmar authorities have severely restricted Rohingya
movements and access to their livelihoods since March 19 for refusing to accept
the NV Cards in order to force them cease their resistance against the NV
Cards.
Read Related Reports:
Rohingyas’ Livelihood at Risk as They Reject NVC Cards: https://goo.gl/z9r8kP
Border Guards Arrest Rohingya Figureheads for Skipping
NVC-Related Meeting: https://goo.gl/QZumsU
Myanmar Authorities Seize Rohingya-Owned Farm Lands: https://goo.gl/qG3zgL
Myanmar Gov’t Tempts Rohingyas for NVC with Ludicrous
Leaflets: https://goo.gl/bCK58L
Abuses on Rohingyas Increase for Rejecting NV Card: https://goo.gl/77kPIz
Gov’t Imposes Total Travel Ban on Rohingyas: https://goo.gl/KZadwo
Source: http://ln.is/goo.gl/oldoZ