1. • International human rights
organisation
• Working with Rohingya since 2008
• Other projects include, street
children in Bangladesh, women’s
rights in Kyrgyzstan and Roma
rights across Europe.
• Played a key part in providing
access and information for major
news outlets including: BBC, The
Guardian, Channel 4, AFP, Al
Jazeera etc

2. International Political Reaction
 Foreign Secretary William Hague
―The UK remains committed to the people of Burma, and has never wavered in its
calls for the granting of full human rights to all of its people, including the
Rohingya. There is also a need to seek a long term solution to the problems they
face in a manner which recognises their human rights, including their right to
nationality, and to take effective steps which prevents any further forced or
involuntary displacement and which does not leave them permanently
displaced.‖
(13th August, 2012)
 President Obama
―For too long, the people of this state, including ethnic Rakhine, have faced
crushing poverty and persecution. But there is no excuse for violence against
innocent people. And the Rohingya hold themselves — hold within themselves
the same dignity as you do, and I do..no matter what religion you practise. The
right of people to live without the threat that their families may be harmed or
their homes may be burned simply because of who they are.‖
(Address to Rangon University, 17th November)
 The call for the respect of human rights for
Rohingya. What does it mean?

3. The 1982 Citizenship Act of Burma
 Introduced by dictatorship of General Ne Win
 Key points
1. Full citizens – lived in Burma prior to 1823 and/or born of these citizens.
(prior to British controlled)
2. Associate citizens – those acquiring citizenship through 1948 Union
Citizenship Law (living for two generations after British departure)
3. Naturalized citizens – those who lived in Burma before 1948 and applied
for citizenship after 1982
 Contentious issues
1. The 1948 Union Citizenship Law would have granted Rohingya
citizenship as the major migration began after British rule – overturned
by ‘82 Citizenship Law
2. Lack of protection of citizenship implies restriction on marriage, travel
and reproduction
3. Violence this year has also meant a lack of protection against
arbitrary arrests, arson attacks forced evictions
 Fundamentally contradicts the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights

4. The Scale of Disorder
 Human Rights Watch images show clearly the widespread
destruction of Rohingya homes
 Reports of mass graves of upto 300 found in Yin Thae village of
Minbya
 Segregated IDP camps for Rohingya and Rakhine
 Hundreds thought to have perished, with reports of 115,000 IDP

5. The Media Response
 Initially very slow – hardly any verified footage
(Restless Beings’ role)
 June Vs October coverage – a difference in
rhetoric
 BBC – ‘spate of violence’ (June 10th) vs ‘chronic
injustice’ (Nov 9th)
 The Guardian – ‘ethnic violence’ (June 12th) vs
‘religious war’ (Nov 9th)
 The Daily Telegraph – ‘curfews after riots’ (June
10th) vs ‘worst sectarian violence in years’ (Oct
28th)

6. Leverage To Call For Repeal of ‘82
Citizenship Law
 The EU (inclusive of UK) reached a decision in April 2012 to
suspend all sanctions except for the export of arms from Burma.
Article 4. In this regard, the EU still expects the unconditional release of
remaining political prisoners and the removal of all restrictions placed on those already
released. It looks forward to the end of conflict and to substantially improved access for
humanitarian assistance, in particular for those affected by conflict in Kachin State and
along the Eastern border, as well as to addressing the status and improving the welfare
of the Rohingyas.
 The UK is one of the largest donors of aid to Burma:
―We are one of the largest aid donors to Burma and have allocated £187
million to it over four years, which includes support for the process of ethnic
reconciliation. We announced another £27 million in November for the humanitarian
support of refugees and internally displaced people and for peace-building
activities, drawing on our experiences in Northern Ireland. We have provided a further
£2 million to Kachin, where there are 27,500 internally displaced people. We have a
record that is second to none in providing the aid that is sorely needed in that part of
the world.‖ – Hugo Swire 4th December Foreign Policy Q&A
 Both the EU sanction lifting and the UK’s continued aid must be
used as leverage for rationale to pressurise an immediate
repeal of 1982 Citizenship Law and consequently the respect
for dignity and rights for the Rohingya.