SNLD opposes plan to expand household lists for internal migrants
The Shan
Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), the second largest party in Shan
State's parliament, has indicated that it will strongly oppose a move by
Burma's new government to expand household list registration to workers and
families who have migrated to ethnic areas like Shan State, from other parts of
the country. The National League for Democracy (NLD) has made expanding the
household list registration to include internal migrants, as one of its
priorities for its first 100 days of office.
“Our party
will oppose it in parliament. We can accept it if they [the government] issue
temporary registration cards, but now they are going to issue household lists.
If [the migrants] get the household lists, they will become residents of that
area,” said U Sai Nyunt Lwin, the SNLD’s general secretary.
Whereas
previously those who had migrated internally would have to wait many years to
be registered for a household list, the new rules will make it possible for
those who have lived in an area for at least 6 months to get this. This
proposed policy change has raised many concerns amongst ethnic people that it
will help contribute to a radical change in the ethnic make up their local
communities.
Ethnic Mon
groups, including monks, have also called on the government to review the
proposed changes. The Mon groups have alleged that the revised lists procedures
are part of a territorial expansion into ethnic areas and internal colonization
policy. They also claim that internal migration will lead to the disappearance of
literature, culture, traditions and customs of ethnic people and “ruin
friendship between ethnic people”.
The previous
military regime was accused of using internal migration as part of its overall
strategy to expand control over the country by sending non-ethnic residents
including former military officers to ethnic areas. Resettling outsiders to
ethnic areas was alleged to have been part of the army's plan to expand
territorial control over ethnic areas.
Reached for
comment a representative of the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State
Army told the Shan Herald that the issue of internal migration was an ongoing
concern. “What will our Shan [people] do? The amount of migration is high so
it’s like trying to find the start of the problem,” said Col. Sai La, Secretary
(2) of the RCSS/SSA.
Some observers
have also questioned whether the proposed household list registration changes
were being done to make it easier for the NLD to win the vote in ethnic areas
in future elections.
“We need to
ask whether this is a preparation in advance for the 2020 Election,” said Sai
Aung Myint Oo from the Shan Youth Network.
Many cities
and towns in Shan State, including the state capital Taunggyi, are thought to
have more residents who originate from outside the state than residents who
originate from the state.
BY Staff/Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN)
Tags: News, Politics
