According the news articles, 18 officials from several government departments will administer the initiative that is expected to follow in accordance with the 1982 citizenship law, introduced by former dictator Gen. Ne Win. The members are believed to be from the immigration department, Nasaka (border security force), army, police, and  township and village level politicians. The governmental committee reportedly left yesterday for  Pauk Taw Township, near the Sittwe capital. There are about five Muslim villages In Pauk Taw Township.

Arakan State Spokesperson U Win Myint  was quoted in a news report as saying the new program will also be implemented in other parts of the state.  The program must be carried out “fairly and independently in accordance with the 1982 citizenship law”, he said.

But many international rights groups say Muslim populations have been stripped of the right to apply to become Myanmar nationals under the 1982 Citizenship Law.  This law repealed the 1948 citizenship law - after Burma was granted independence – which stated, under Article 4 (II), ‘any person descended from ancestors who for two generations at least have all made any of the territories included within the Union their permanent home and whose parents and himself were born in any of such territories shall be deemed to be a citizen of the Union.’

They say the 1982 law isn’t compatible with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights or with Burma’s legal obligations under international treaties.