"...We need to see this diversity inherent in Myanmar?s population, and this includes within the Muslim communities. How do we begin to capture the diversity and richness of Myanmar?s Muslim mosaic? Central to the politics of belonging is how Muslims define themselves. Let me take the 2014 census as an example of how Muslims are seeking to redefine their identity. International commentary on the census primarily focused on the categories the government would use to mark religion and ethnicity, and specifically whether it would allow individuals to identify as ?Rohingya?. But there was an absence of coverage of broader Muslim responses to the census. Observers failed to see the fierce discussion and debate within Muslim communities about what categories they wanted to use to define their religious and ethnic status in the census. Many in the Burmese Muslim community were confused: they did not want to list their ethnicity as ?Burman?, even if they identified as part Burman. This was because they felt that the ethnic category ?Burman? may be conflated by the government with ?Buddhists?, and therefore overestimated the numbers of Buddhists. On the other hand, as Muslims who take pride in their ?Burmeseness? ? both in terms of their ancestry as well as the use of Burmese language, clothing and culture ? wanted recognition that they belong to Myanmar too..."