Thursday, August 23, 2012

The Rohingya is not one of them


"Ever since a 1982 law stripped them of citizenship rights, Rohingyas have been effectively stateless. Despite spotty media coverage from within Burma, rights groups and Rohingyas themselves have painted a dire portrait. Rohingyas must request permission to marry (it can take up to five years to receive approval), they must sign a commitment to not have more than two children, their livestock is considered state property, they are randomly asked to cough up money or face arrest, and some are forced into labour projects. The southeast Asian nation has 135 officially recognized ethnic groups. The Rohingya is not one of them."