The junta announced on 16 October 2024 that enumeration for the population and housing census, that was due to run from 1 to 15 October, will be extended until 31 October.
The census enumeration time will be extended until 31 October in areas of the country where enumeration was delayed, according to the junta.
There are many areas of Kachin State where the junta was unable to completely carry out census enumeration.
In the Kachin State capital, Myitkyina City, enumerators only went house to house in some wards and in others, ward administrators summoned people to question them about their households.
A Myitkyina City resident explained how the junta summoned people. She said: "Census enumerators have already visited our house. Some residents had to bring copies of their household lists and report to ward administrators. The census questions included details like household member lists, number of children, year of marriage, type of toilet, and number of drinking water pots.”
Nationwide, there are many areas where the junta has been unable to carry out the census. These include areas under the control of ethnic armed organisations (EAOs) and resistance forces and areas where there is fighting.
For instance, the junta has been unable to carry out the census in every ward of Bhamo City, the second largest city in Kachin State, because the military situation there is tense.
A Bhamo resident said to KNG: "We heard that enumerators reached some houses in the town. It seems likely that the junta has only been able to conduct a population census in certain accessible areas. Given the current circumstances, it is almost impossible to conduct the census in all wards.”
The junta said that soldiers and police officers had provided protection to the over 40,000 census enumerators and census auditors as they collected census data across the country.
According to the Institute for Strategy and Policy - Myanmar (ISP-Myanmar) there is fighting in 233 out of the 330 townships in Myanmar. Political analysts have said that getting accurate census data from conflict-ridden townships is almost impossible.
