Gov't confident census will be completed on time

Gov't confident census will be completed on time

Published on Thursday, 03 April 2014 18:26

The results of the nation-wide census will be announced within the time frame set by the government, according to sources from the Ministry of Immigration and Population.
Myanmar is holding a nation-wide census from March 30 to April 10 to provide the government with up to date and accurate social, economic and demographic data of the country's people and households.
"The household list is passed from the census takers and census auditors to the township census taking committees daily," said a spokesperson for the department of immigration and population on call for census-related information. 
More than two million households have so far been counted as of April 2 according to state media. This is the first national census in Myanmar in 30 years.
 The results will be made public in August and the final results will be come out within the first quarter of next year, according to the Ministry of Immigration and Population.
The nation-wide census has not been without controversy as critics have raised concerns that some questions misrepresent ethnic groups and identities. Some experts have also warned that the process could inflame communal tensions in western Rakhine State between Buddhists and Muslims.
"Previously some called Bengalis 'Rohingya' in Rakhine State but it is not the official name. We left out that name to prevent conflicts. In some remote areas, the census taking groups have had to move back due to interference from small groups, such as the KIA, and have had to wait until the next day to take the census," said Myint Kyaing, Director General of the Ministry of Immigration and Population.
Census teams have not been able to access parts of Kachin, Shan and Kayin states, where areas are still under the control of ethnic armed groups despite ongoing ceasefire negotiations. The Central Census Commission has announced that it will use estimates to count the population in these areas.
"In villages located in remote areas we will use population calculation methods to estimate the number of households. When we took the census in 1973 and 1983, most of the border areas were left out due to ethnic conflicts in those areas," said Myint Kyaing.
Census-taking teams were also restricted in parts of Rakhine State but have managed to collect data from 23,583 people within three days, according to the census taking committee.
The police chief of the Maungdaw Township Police Station said the census-teams were provided with security when accessing Muslim villages.
Many Muslim villagers and shops have closed their doors and refused to cooperate with the census teams because the government will not allow them to register as Rohingya, insisting they be registered as Bengalis instead.
"Since the day the census-taking process started, the Bengalis closed their shops and went home," said Min Oo from Kyeinchaung Village in northern Maungdaw Township.
"They have refused to participate in the census because the name they want is not going to be registered in the census. In Kyeinchaung Village in northern area of Maungdaw Township, all the shops have been closed. The local ethnic villagers have been on sentry duties without sleeping because of noises from their villages at night," added Min Oo.
Teachers who have been carrying out the census-taking process said they will continue to collect the census data from Bamar, Rakhine, and Hindu households on the fourth day as well.
This is Myanmar's first national census since 1983. The aim of the census is to provide the government with up to date social, economic and demographic data for the purpose of ongoing reforms, development planning and governance.
The census is being supported and funded by the United Nations Population Fund. 

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/govt-confident-census-will-be-completed-on-time/