The Aung Seik Pyin village Administration officer U Maung Mya and others where Nur Alam has been teaching reportedly informed U Aung Myint Soe, district administration officer and U Kyi San township administration officer to issue the arrest warrant.

Nur Alam told students in the survey to enter Islam as their religion in column seven and Rohingya as their race in column eight. Authorities have been allegedly forcing them to enter Bengali instead of Rohingya; the former implies they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh rather than an ethnic group of Burma.

A 1982 citizenship law rendered Rohingya stateless even though most claim to have lived in the country for generations and even centuries.

Leaflets advertising the survey stated it would be fair for all participants and they could answer questions without fear, but many fear the information will be used against them. Several have already been killed or injured after authorities opened fire on crowds protesting against the survey last year.

During a meeting with ethnic armed groups in December meeting in the northern Thai city Chiang Mai, U Khin Ye, Burma’s immigration minister, explained that all government census collections will not be used for political, military and any other unlawful purposes. He asked for their assistance and cooperation, promising that participants can determine their ethnicity themselves. But these promises have not been extended to the Rohingya where many have claimed they have suffered harassment and even arrest for refusing to identify as Bengali.

During a monthly meeting Maungdaw officer U Aung Myint Soe and U Kyi San told village administration officers survey participants must enter Bengali as their race. Those that do not abide will face jail terms, said Abul Hakim.