Arakan News Agency
The government has asked representatives from the Rohingya Muslim community in the state capital Akyab to prepare for a meeting in the capital Naypyidaw.
The meeting will discuss the issue of Rohingya citizenship.
Sources in Akyab say that Rohingyas will be offered the green card, i.e. referring to foreigners who have naturalised into Burmese citizens. The Rohingyas will have to accept they are Bengalis under the terms and conditions and they will receive more state support, according to government promises.
Rohingyas say that they are original Burmese citizens distinct from Bengalis.
But community leaders in Akyab hope that the meeting in the capital can help to solve the tensions that have arisen after the sudden government decision to withdraw white cards.
The white card is an identity paper given to foreigner citizens. In response to protests by nationalist groups to Rohingya suffrage, the government declared the withdrawal of all white cards by May. This has led to fears that left without any official documents, Rohingyas will be accused of being Bengali residents.
But now the government says that they are willing to take the next step for Rohingya or Bengali citizenship with the green card application.
Source : BurmaTimes
