Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has condemned a decision by local officials in Rakhine state to enforce a “two-child policy” on Rohingya Muslims.

The ban has been in place since 1994, but officials recently began enforcing it in areas where they say the high birth rate is fuelling ethnic tension. The tensions led to violent clashes between Buddhist and Muslim communities in the western state last year.

Tens of thousands of Rohingya Muslims were displaced by the violence and live in temporary camps.

The 1994 ban, that prevents Rohingya Muslims having more than two children, was allowed to lapse in recent years.

On Saturday, authorities in Rakhine introduced the two-child policy in two townships, Maung Daw and Bu Thi Daung. It is not clear how it will be enforced.

The vast majority of Rohingya Muslims – about 800,000 people – live in the two townships. Most of those living in camps are elsewhere in Rakhine.

The Rohingyas are a stateless group of some 800,000 people who are not recognised as Burmese citizens.

The United Nations describes them as a religious and linguistic minority from western Burma, and one of the most persecuted minorities in the world.

However, many Burmese officials refer to them as Bengalis – a reflection of the widespread belief that this community belongs in neighbouring Bangladesh.   »»» BBC News

In China, a similar 2-child policy is universal. In Myanmar (Burma) it specifically targets the Muslim minority. It is a form of genocide, aimed at eliminating the Rohingyas.

Go to article…