Day 7 & 8: Rohingya and Population Census in Arakan

Monday, April 7, 2014

1- Sittwe (Akyab) Township, Arakan State

- Starting at 8AM on 5^th April 2014, a group of 200 Police Force, 100 Military, 250 Census Enumerators, immigration officials and other respective authorities visited the villages of Ala-Sin (Alsang), Nga-Point-Gyi (Nappong), Nga-Point-Shay (Mush Khylla Fara) and Doon-Pyin-south (Shabok) one village after another.

They just inquired of the villagers of their ethnicity. As people replied ‘Rohingya,’ the group left the respective villages without carrying out the census. In Doon-Pyin-North, they encountered a Kaman family and the cenus team completed all of the 41 questions and census enumeration itself. (Saed Arkani Report)

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- Starting at 8AM on 6^th April 2014, a crew of 250 census enumerators, 250 Police Personnel, 150 Military, Immigration officials and other concerned authorities visited the villages of Khadin-Paik-Ywa-Gyi, Khadin-Paik-Ywa-Nge, Thakkay-Pyin-Ywa-Ma, Lama Shay, Thinga-Nat (Kaman), Thinga-Nat (Rohingya, Thaya Goon, Kulsum Fara, Kera Moitta Rwa and Than-Dawli one after another. As mentioned above, they just inquired of the villagers of their ethnicity. As people replied ‘Rohingya,’ the group left the respective villages without carrying out the census.

The crew completed collecting datae and census on the people living in Thinga-Nat village, Thaya Goon village and Thakkay Pyin Ywa-Ma village as most of them are of Kaman ethnic background. Besides, they completed collecting datae of Rohingyas in rural areas by force, deceipts or any other means. Only Aung-Mingalar is the remaining quarter in Sittwe that still needs to be surveyed. Census enumeration in the quarter may likely take place tomorrow. But its people still stand firm on their legitimate of the ethnicity “Rohingya.” (Saed Arkani Report)

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- Another crew of census enumerators visited the IDP camps in Thakkay-Pyin (Sakki Fara) in Sittwe township. They only visited the camp 74 and left the camps as people claimed ‘Rohingya.’ (Saed Arkani Report)

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2- Maungdaw Township, Arakan State

On 4^th April 2014, a team of census enumerators together with security personnel, as usual, visited Quarter 5 of Maungdaw. The left without carrying census as its people claimed “Rohingya.” (Maung Z report)

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On 31^st March 2014, a group of census enumerators together with Security Force and Military visited the Quarter 1 of Taung-Pyo sub-township. It has around 50 households. Since Rohingyas claimed their ethnic identity ‘Rohingya,’ the team didn’t carry out census survey in the quarter. But the team attached sticker reading “the census on this household enumerated.” Therefore, people are worried that government would lie about that without carrying out census. (Sindhi Khan Report)