Aliens in a Bind
Burma’s strict citizenship laws are especially harsh on ethnic Chinese and Indians.
Even a landslide of bad karma cannot conquer a human race; only another race can eliminate a human race.” Thus reads the motto posted at immigration offices throughout Burma.
Burma is a mosaic of ethnic groups. Ethnic Burmans comprise the majority of the population but roughly 30 percent of the country’s estimated 50 million inhabitants are ethnically Shan, Karen, Arakanese, Kachin, Chin and Mon. Millions more come from more than 100 other smaller indigenous ethnic groups. Chinese and Indians are the largest immigrant groups.
According to Burma’s latest official census—taken in 1983—Chinese and Indians comprise 3 percent and 2 percent of the population respectively. Both groups play a major role in the economy and society, yet neither is permitted full Burmese citizenship.
Instead, they are entitled only to alien identification cards, known locally as FRC, short for Foreign Resident Card.
“As a custom, we [Chinese] marry within the same race,” said an elder Chinese resident in Rangoon. “But I married a Burmese woman so that the next generation would no longer be FRC [holders].” Several Chinese and Indian FRC holders are following his lead and trying to wed native Burmese spouses to gain full citizenship benefits.
Burma has not signed or ratified the UN International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, or CERD, and has done little to stamp out discrimination against its ethnic nationalities.
In fact, it has done the opposite. In 1982 the military government tightened citizenship restrictions, requiring applicants from non-indigenous ethnic groups to furnish evidence that their ancestors settled in Burma before 1823, one year prior to the first Anglo-Burmese war.
The restrictions are particularly harsh on the Chinese and Indians that moved to Burma after 1823—as well as their descendents who were born in Burma.
The 1982 citizenship law categorized three types of citizens: full, associate and naturalized. In 1989 all Burmese residents were required to apply for new identity cards—the unfortunately named Citizenship Scrutiny Card. The cards come in different colors which denote different status. Pink cards are granted to full citizens, blue cards for associate citizens and green cards for naturalized citizens. FRC holders receive white cards.
“My son passed high school with flying colors,” said a Chinese FRC holder.
“But he chose to work at the family business while taking a distance [correspondence] course [to obtain a degree].” Non-citizens are banned from enrolling in higher education institutions, such as medical and technical colleges. They are also barred from owning land. When they travel to areas outside of their hometown, FRC holders must apply for permission from the local authorities.
Many observers believe that the law simply intends to block thousands of MuslimRohingyas living in Arakan State from becoming Burmese citizens. The 1982 citizenship law excluded Rohingyas from Burma’s 135 national races, regardless of whether their ancestors settled in Burma before 1823.
Racial intolerance and the marginalization of aliens is nothing new. After Gen NeWin seized power in 1962, as many as 300,000 Indians and 100,000 Chinese fled the country after most of their businesses were nationalized. Anti-Chinese and Muslims riots often erupt during times of political unrest in Burma.
In late 2001 the Ministry of Immigration and Population issued a directive to grant citizenship to members of ethnic ceasefire groups living in Rangoon and Mandalay. Later, several ethnic Wa and Kokang were issued national identity cards. It is suspected that during the process numerous mainland Chinese immigrants bribed Burmese officials to gain full citizenship—much to the dismay of Burma’s ethnic Chinese and Indians who were born in Burma but are subjected to second-class treatment by the authorities.
Credit : Irrawaddy News
