Rohingya Citizenship issue matter of domestic law of 1982: Myanmar Army Chief

The Myanmar Army Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has said that the issue of the citizenship of Rohingya is solely a matter of domestic law. He said that the citizenship process in Myanmar is subject to the 1982 citizenship law which identifies only 135 indigenous ethnic groups and Bengalis or Rohingya are not among these.

He further said that Myanmar does not object to the Rohingya living inside the Myanmar territory. However, the issue of citizenship, definition of indigenous people and their rights are matters of domestic law. Refusing to accept international intervention, he said Myanmar is proceeding according to its own domestic law on this issue.

In an interview to the Japanese Newspaper Asahi Shimbun whose written tran was published on the official facebook page of the Myanmar military Tatmadaw on Friday, General Hlaing criticised the international



community for putting pressure on Myanmar for political reasons.

Responding to the query that the ruling civilian government led by State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi pledging to amend the constitution which reservers 25 percent seats in both houses of Parliament for the military, General Hlaing said that Myanmar’s unique situation of armed conflict, ongoing peace negotiations with armed groups and the fact that the systems were still not fully mature required reservation of seats for Tatmadaw in the Parliament.

He said that for a multi party democratic system to fully work, political stability and security of the union is required. The military- Tatmadaw has the duty to help realise peace, stability and security of all the citizens. He asserted that participation of the military has not impeded the legislative process in the country.