The Burma immigration department has scrutinized the citizenship right of Muslim community in Mray Bon, a small town in central Arakan, accordance with 1982 Burma immigration law, informed U Hla Thein, chief of law in Arakan State of western Burma.
He also added that the Muslims of Mray Bon have already agreed to the process of scrutinization.
It was reveled in a press conference organized by the Arakan information depart in Sittwe, where U Hla Thein addressed the journalists.
“Both Muslim and Rakhine Buddhists had agreed willingly to support the program of scrutinizing Muslim citizen rights accordance with 1982 immigration law during four union ministers’ recent visit to the town. So we could started the process from 15 June,” U Hla Thein elaborated.
The immigration team led by U Maung Maung Than, who is the managing director of Arakan immigration department received 35 applications from Muslim community people lately to scrutinize their citizenship rights.
“If they have rights to get citizenship after scrutinizing, we will happily recognize them as the Burmese citizens. Otherwise we have to take actions against them. We cannot allow the illegal settlers in our country,” he asserted.
Presently over 3000 Muslim refugees are taking shelter in Mray Bon refugee camp.
According to U Hla Thein, Muslim community leaders have agreed to record their nationality with Bengali name & titles if they are given the citizenship rights in Burma.
“They also declared that they did not want to oppose the desire of Rakhine people. So they agreed to the process of scrutinizing with Bengali names,” he added.
Many Muslim families in Arakan are eligible for citizenship rights in Burma but they have not received it as they are asking to recognize them as Rohingyas, which is not recognized by the Burma government.
For the Burmese administration Rohingya is not a recognized nationality of Burma.
