Maungdaw, Arakan State: U Kyi San, the Maungdaw Township administrative officer is trying to use a secret plan on forthcoming census program about the Rohingya community, said an official from Maungdaw.
The Maungdaw Township administrative officer is trying to keep blank on the column of Race and religious where the Rohingya community will identify themselves as Rohingya and Islam, the officer said.
The Maungdaw Township administrative officer mentioned he had received an internal ordered from Arakan State Chief Minister to keep the columns of Race and Religious with blank and no used in these column. He will be declared these soon, the officer more added.
If ordered may be pass by Chief Minister, they are following the demanded of Rakhine community who have been opposing to include Rohingya in the census process, Halim, a Human Rights said.
If Arakan State government is following the demand of Rakhine community, the Arakan State government is violation of Population and Housing Census Law, Chapter V, No.16/c and the Rohingya has the rights to give their real identity as Rohingya and Islam as per census guide and Law, Halim added.
On the other hand, the U Kyi San – Maungdaw Township Admin officer- ordered all the village admin officers who are in charge of Rohingya villages, to collect money from villagers to serve the census data collection groups at village admin meeting held on March 18, at Thiri Magala hall, Anno (not real name) , a village admin officer from Maungdaw.
The Township officer also ordered not to inform anyone about the collecting of money as the program will fund by UNFPA and other donors which will cover for data collection groups budgets, Anno said.
Besides, the Rohingya vehicles owners group are worry for requisition of their vehicles without any wage when the census program will start. The requisition will only for Rohingya community not for Rakhine community. The Rohingya vehicles owners want to use vehicles of both communities and to pay at least for gas, said a vehicle owner from Maungdaw.
