Burma's citizenship laws and other relevant legislation (texts and commentary)

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Title: BHRN Welcomes People’s Assembly’s Decision for the Abolishment of 1982 Citizenship Law
Description: "Burma Human Rights Network (BHRN), wholeheartedly appreciate the decision made by the People’s Assembly organised by the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC) to abolish the 1982 Myanmar citizenship law, commonly known as the Rohingya Genocide law. This landmark decision represents a significant milestone in the ongoing spring revolution journey toward fostering unity, inclusivity, and respect for all individuals within Burma. The 1982 Myanmar Citizenship Law was formulated based on dictator Ne Win’s ideology of Burmanization, xenophobia, and racial discrimination. It has systematically discriminated against the Rohingya community, ultimately contributing to the Rohingya genocide. Similarly, thousands of Muslims from Southern Burma have become stateless along the Thai-Burma border. Additionally, other Muslim minority groups such as Pathi, Pashu, Kaman, Myaydu, and Panthay, as well as other religious minority groups such as Hindus, Gurkha, Sikhs, Bahais, and Christians, have faced similar discriminatory experiences in expressing their identities while seeking citizenship. BHRN hopes these issues can be similarly resolved. BHRN’s Executive Director Kyaw Win said, “Burma’s discriminatory Citizenship Law is a blight on the country’s history. By reversing this law, the People’s Assembly and the NUCC are strongly signaling they intend to separate themselves from the bigotry of the Tatmadaw. As the junta loses ground in the civil war, it is vital that planning takes place now to ensure that Burma’s next phase is one of equality and harmony for all its people. We welcome this first step and encourage further action to protect the citizenship and status of all Burma’s people.” The 1982 citizenship law established three types of citizenship: citizen, associate citizen, and naturalized citizen. However, no clear articles or administrative processes exist for individuals to attain citizenship after holding associate or naturalized citizenship identities. Implementation of the law is rife with corruption, leading to instances where even siblings from the same household hold different identity documents. As a result of this law and its implementation, minority communities face the risk of statelessness and limited access to education, property rights, healthcare, higher employment, and other essential services. Therefore, by undergoing the legal process to abolish this discriminatory law, the revolution in Burma reaffirms its commitment to upholding the principles of equality, justice, and human rights for all citizens. We commend the efforts of all those involved in this decision and urge for the swift abolition of the law is crucial to continue progress towards building a more harmonious and inclusive society. Finally, a new citizenship law must be based on human rights norms and should be only one type of citizenship for everyone equally. Organisation’s Background BHRN is based in London and operates across Burma/Myanmar working for human rights, minority rights and religious freedom in the country. BHRN has played a crucial role in advocating for human rights and religious freedom with politicians and world leaders..."
Source/publisher: Burma Human Rights Network
Date of publication: 2024-04-15
Date of entry/update: 2024-04-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Dr. Sasa's comments on the stripping of his citizenship
Description: "The genocidal military junta in Myanmar announced that my citizenship, along with the citizenships of 10 other colleagues has been revoked. The junta’s desperate attempts to harm us and make us stateless are totally illegal and will not deter me, nor my colleagues from our work for the brave people of Myanmar who have suffered so much for so long. Indeed, it strengthens our resolve. They can strip me of my home, but they can never strip the love that I have for my people and country. They can take away my body, but they will never take away the love and hope that I have for my motherland. In fact, they have no right to give or take away my birthright. Such an act is, in fact, a violation of basic human rights as set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and is also a violation of the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness (1961) to which Myanmar, under the military, never became a signatory. In truth, I am not surprised by this news. Rendering Myanmar people stateless is not new for the genocidal military in Myanmar. Hundreds of thousands of Myanmar people, particularly our Rohingya brothers and sisters have suffered the same fate. Living stateless in the country they were born in. The only country they have ever known. My motherland is my birth right. This can never be taken from me. I breathe my motherland’s air, I am warmed by my motherland's sun, and cleansed in my motherland's waters. This land, this culture, this identity, this heritage, I take with me in my heart. It cannot be taken from me, it cannot be beaten out of me, and I will never let it go. My identity is not defined by a hateful and bigoted military. I have dedicated my life to the country and people that I love so much, and now I continue the fight, in whatever way I can, to liberate my country from tyranny. I am proud to fight against the military dictatorship and authoritarianism. I am proud that the enemies of freedom and democracy have targeted me. This illegal acts against us are badges of honour, which I am proud to wear in solidarity with my brothers and sisters all over Myanmar and all over the world, who were likewise denied their identity and rights based on race, on religion, or on politics. The cruel military junta have hunted us with soldiers, and fighter jets, driving us from our homes and razing thousands of homes in turn creating refugees. This is the genocidal military junta’s tactic. To make us all homeless and stateless to destroy our existence but they will never succeed. Vagrants with no-one and nothing, wandering the Earth impotently. Without citizenship, without residence, how could we hope to engage politically? How would we vote, how we campaign, where could we find a safe harbor and rebuild our lives? We will win this fight, this is inevitable. The Myanmar people will not give up an inch of their homeland to these despots. My God bless the people of Myanmar, and may God bless the people of Ukraine..."
Source/publisher: Dr. Sasa via Ministry of International Cooperation Myanmar
Date of publication: 2022-03-09
Date of entry/update: 2022-03-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
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