Page 86 - Beautiful Rohingyas

84 Beautiful Rohingyas

The government has now granted temporary citizenship rights to
the 1.5 million Arakanese Muslims previously regarded as refugees
and allowed them to vote in the upcoming referendum. However, this
is also a very cunning stratagem intended as a part of this ethnic
cleansing; they are not recognized as citizens, but are only allowed to

vote with the white cards given to people regarded as immigrants. In
this way, while Arakanese Muslims are pushed to accept being
regarded as immigrants, they are trying to give the impression that
the country is a democratic one.

Even this temporary right was enough to instigate discriminato-
ry behavior against the Muslim population in the country. Burmese

Buddhists have protested against Arakanese Muslims being given the
right to vote, albeit on a temporary basis, and have started public
demonstrations. Arakanese Muslims are thus subjected both to acts of
violence and also to legal, economic and social discrimination.