Shadow Government: Rohingya Muslims Have The Right To Myanmar Citizenship

Rohingya Muslim refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. (Wikimedia Commons/Tauheed)

JAKARTA - The Government of National Unity (NUG) of Myanmar has stated that Rohingya Muslims are entitled to Myanmar citizenship status, which is realized by amending the old law on citizenship.

This was stated by NUG, which is Myanmar's shadow government, in a statement on Thursday, June 3, in order to dismiss concerns related to the attitude of NUG towards Rohingya Muslims who were expelled from Myanmar

In the statement, the NUG suggested repealing the 1982 Citizenship Act, which made Rohingya Muslims stateless, in favor of a new constitution being drafted.

"Instead, there will be a new law that will base citizenship on birth in Myanmar or birth anywhere as a child of a Myanmar citizen," the NUG said in a statement.

"The Rohingya people are entitled to citizenship under a law that would conform to human rights norms and democratic federal principles," the statement added.

Since being formed in mid-April, the NUG, which consists of a combination of 27 deposed parliamentarians and a prominent anti-regime Myanmar military figure, has been urged to resolve the Rohingya issue.

The statement also describes the settlement of alleged atrocities committed by the military under the National League for Democracy (NLD) government, while carrying out "clearance operations" that forced hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims to flee to Bangladesh. The NUG said it would be willing to refer the matter to an international tribunal.

"We intend if necessary to initiate proceedings to grant the International Criminal Court jurisdiction over the alleged crimes committed in Myanmar against the Rohingya and other communities," the NUG said.

However, the move is likely to cause controversy among anti-regime activists, as most Myanmar people are vehemently opposed to recognizing the Rohingya as one of the so-called 'national races' of the Land of a Thousand Pagodas.

The NUG believes, under current circumstances, many may be more receptive to the Rohingya's call for justice and claims to citizenship.

"The whole nation sympathizes with the plight of the Rohingya, as all are now experiencing the atrocities and violence perpetrated by the military," the NUG statement concluded.

The Myanmar Coup. The editor of VOI continues to monitor the political situation in one of the ASEAN member countries. Civilian casualties continue to fall. Readers can follow news about the Myanmar military coup by tapping this link.