Over the two day talks, the UNFPA’s Myanmar Representative, Ms. Janet Jackson, together with H.E. U Khin Yi, Minister of Immigration and Population, urged the groups to cooperate and fully participate in the upcoming census count. The census will take place on 29th March to 10th April.
It will be the first census in 30 years that a census will take place in Myanmar. The last time a national census was undertaken was in 1983 and 1973.
Ms. Jackson addressed the participants and stressed the importance of strong participation in the census count from all assembled parties and communities living within Myanmar. “The census is a very important exercise as it will help put the record straight by uniting all living in Myanmar. The census will help build foundations to help push forward ongoing reforms and ultimately shaping the future development of Myanmar.”
She went on to say that community participation should be “encouraged in order to build trust in the exercise and to ensure a successful, accurate and reliable census count.”
During the meeting there was interest in International Technical Advisory Board (ITAB), a committee comprising of 15 global experts on census activities and who advises UNFPA and the Myanmar government in ensuring a successful implementation of the census. UNFPA was asked if there had been any stage during that the census preparations any deviation from the international standards and if UNFPA would continue support on the analysis and report’s production stage. Ms. Jackson highlighted that the ITAB had found that everything was in compliance and that it considered Myanmar a good practice so far, and that UNFPA and ITAB support would continue for several years to come.
The main issues raised during the talks focused on the relevance of the official list of the 135 ethnicities which some argued should only contain the main eight ethnicities whereas others wanted amended so it contains additional groups to be mentioned, including the right to list multiple or mixed ethnicities such as Shan/Burmese. For this purpose the code listed as 914 on the census form allows for anyone to self-identify when asked during the population count.
Minister U Khin Yi emphasized when asked on this issue that sub group would not be neglected and that the list only provided only as a reference point and that after the census and according to the analysis, dialogue and possible re-arrangement could occur. The different grouping entered under Code 914 would after the census be sub-coded and eventually analyzed.
The Minister stated that the list should be considered a base and that people had the right to self-identify.
The meeting in Thailand was chaired by U Aung Min, President’s Office Minister and Vice Chairman of the Union Peacemaking Work Committee (UPWC) and Minister U Khin Yi. Others attending, included representatives from the 14 non-state armed ethnic groups (NSAGs) as well as the Deputy Minister for Border Affairs, Director for Peace and Reconciliation, Director of the Myanmar Peace Centre as well as representatives from the Office of Chief Justice and other advisors.
