Tension grows over temporary citizens' voting rights

Simultaneous demonstrations were held over the weekend in a reported 17 towns, including Sittwe. Protesters are angry that the temporary residents, also known as white card holders, will be permitted to vote in a referendum to amend the 2008 constitution.

 "We denounce the white card voting right since it is not matched with the 2008 constitution," RNP vice-chairperson Aye Nu Sein said. "We protest since it makes the people feel worried and frustrated. There are over 590,000 white card holders in Rakhine State.

"We can’t accept giving the right of citizens to non-citizens. The demonstration will be carried on until giving the right to vote to the white card holders is cancelled."

The government has come up with a plan to revoke by May 31 the white cards, held mostly by the estimated 1.1 million Rohingya Muslims, who are considered by many residents to be illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. That move would effectively disenfranchise the white card holders, which has also angered them. However, that has not satisfied the demonstrators, which includes Buddhist monks as well as Hindus.

"It is a terrible case for the Rakhine ethnic (population) that white card holders were given the right to vote," said a monk from Sasana Gone Yi Monastery. "All of us have to care that the Rakhine State does not disappear.

"That’s why we (monks) participated in this demonstration. If the current condition was continued, the ethnic Rakhine would face serious difficulty. That is why we conduct this protest, so the head of state will know (how we feel). The Constitutional Tribunal has to rule on it clearly."

Added protester Aung Htay: "The protest will be carried out until we get a clear decision regarding the white card voting right. We do this since we denounce the parliament’s approval. We won’t step back.”