Description:
Conclusions and Recommendations:
"The 2014 Population and Housing Census is
likely to undertake the most significant ethnic
and political boundary making in the country
since the last British census in 1931. However,
by using flawed designations that date from
the colonial era and ignoring the considerable
complexity of the present political situation in
Myanmar, the census is likely to raise ethnic
tensions at precisely the moment that peace
negotiations are focused on building trust.
Ethnic politics, democratic reform and conflict
resolution are at a critical juncture. If carried
out in an inclusive, transparent and ethically
implemented fashion, a census could support
national reconciliation and momentum towards
reform. Instead, many ethnic groups fear that
its timing, format and methodology, with an
unwarranted array of questions and overseen by
law enforcement officers, will further diminish
and marginalise the political status of non-
Bamar groups. Citizenship rights for some
people could even be under threat, based on
census results. The timing of the census in the year before a
key general election raises additional concerns.
Statistical reports that result from it could have
confusing and negative impact on political
debate and ethnic representation in the
legislatures, as defined by the 2008 constitution.
There are many communities and internallydisplaced
persons in the conflict zones of the
ethnic borderlands who will not be properly
included as well as others with marginal legal
status who would prefer to disappear in an
official counting exercise.
Through inclusive dialogue, planning and
timing, many of these controversies could have
been addressed. The UNFPA and Western
government donors, with a projected US$74
million budget, have a special responsibility
to ensure accurate research, definitions, data
collection and inclusion in any process of this
magnitude. Difficulties have been treated purely
as technical problems with simple, ?one-sizefits-
all” solutions, rather than as fundamentally
political and ethnic challenges that need
resolution. Instead of creating the opportunity
to improve inter-ethnic understanding
and citizenship rights, the census promises
to compound old grievances with a new
generation of complexities"
Source/publisher:
Transnational Institute (TNI), Burma Centrum Nederland
Date of Publication:
2014-02-24
Date of entry:
2014-02-24
Grouping:
- Individual Documents
Category:
Language:
English