Rohingyas Were Denied Citizenship By Using The Ne Win’s Apartheid-style 1982 Law

Here’s a polished English translation of the post, with context and fact-checking added. It highlights the Rohingya citizenship struggle and the contradictions in Myanmar’s legal framework.

Translation & Edited Version

Credit: Original post by Ko Armat from Meiktila

A Rohingya man, holding his official National Registration Card (NRC) issued decades ago, asked why he was required to apply for a new NVC (National Verification Card) and reapply for citizenship when he already possessed a valid NRC.

In response, Win Myat Aye, a former minister, dismissively claimed that the NRC was no longer valid because it had been issued during the dictatorship of General Ne Win. A photo shows Win Myat Aye awkwardly trying to justify this stance.

The Rohingya man then posed a sharp counter-question:

“If the NRC issued by Ne Win is invalid, then why is Ne Win’s 1982 Citizenship Law still considered valid today?”

This question reportedly left Win Myat Aye speechless, unable to provide a coherent answer. The moment was captured in a widely circulated photograph, showing him visibly cornered by the Rohingya man’s logic.

Fact-Checking & Historical Context

National Registration Cards (NRCs): Introduced in the 1950s, NRCs were official proof of citizenship in Burma/Myanmar. Rohingya families held these cards for decades until the military began confiscating them in the late 1970s.
1982 Citizenship Law: Enacted by General Ne Win on 15 October 1982, this law divided citizens into three tiers: full, associate, and naturalised. It tied full citizenship to membership in one of 135 “national races” said to have settled before 1823. The Rohingya were deliberately excluded, rendering them stateless.
Contradiction Highlighted: Win Myat Aye’s claim that NRCs are invalid because they were issued under Ne Win contradicts the fact that the 1982 law from the same regime remains enforced. This exposes the selective use of Ne Win’s legacy to disenfranchise Rohingya while upholding discriminatory laws.

Why This Matters

The Rohingya man’s question underscores the legal hypocrisy: Myanmar authorities dismiss Rohingya citizenship documents as “invalid” while continuing to enforce Ne Win’s apartheid-style law.
This contradiction reveals the systematic exclusion of Rohingya from citizenship, despite their documented presence in Rakhine for centuries.
The exchange with Win Myat Aye illustrates how Rohingya voices challenge official narratives, even when met with silence or evasion.