Military council issues National Verification Card to 30 Muslim refugees

Narinjara News, 11 March 2023

The military council on 9 March issued National Verification Cards (NVCs) to over 30 individuals residing in Thet Kae Pyin Muslim refugee camp in Sittwe township, the capital city of Rakhine State.

The township chief of the Union immigration and population ministry visited the concerned camp and provided the NVC cards to 36 male and female Muslim refugees, said a camp management official.

"Many people were asking for the NVC cards. We informed them that it was inconvenient for us to visit and hence they came here. After getting the NVC card, one has to apply for the Myanmar citizenship at the concerned offices. It may take a year to get the citizenship documents,” he added.

Union minister U Ko Ko Hlaing led a group of diplomats from ASEAN and neighboring countries (including China, India and Bangladesh) visited Baw Du Pha refugee camp on 8 March.

Following the former ‌administrator U Soe Hla's request, the NVC cards were distributed among the refugees in the camp.

Thet Kae Pyin camp currently houses over 6,400 refugees.

According to a young Muslim, who spoke to Narinjara News, claimed that majority of Muslims in the Rakhine region are not accepting the NVC cards as the information necessary for it differed from original records.

"We're asked to provide details about where and when we arrived in the region. But we have been living here for generations. Moreover, the card looks like a form of registration for foreign nationals. Why should we be agree with it? So we are not in a position to accept the NVC cards,” explained the young Muslim.

Even though the Muslims of Rakhine are offered the NVC cards, they are permitted to travel only after possessing a specific document from the immigration department.

Earlier, the Muslims were given temporary identification cards (known as White Cards), which were revoked during the U Thein Sein administration. Since 2015, they have been provided with the NVC cards.

Muslims are also undergoing a screening exercise in accordance with the 1982 Nationality Verification Act. They need to possess NVC cards before applying for citizenship, according to  Myanmar Immigration act.

An NVC card itself is not a citizenship document, but the card holders can apply for the same undergoing a routine process.