Myanmar Moslems May Only Have 2 Children, Government Says
19 October 2018 23:23 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Yangon - Authorities in Myanmar's western state of Rakhine introduced a two-child limit for Muslim Rohingya families. "The population growth of Rohingya Muslims is 10 times higher than that of the Rakhine Buddhists. This is one of the causes of tension," said Win Myaing, government spokesperson in Rakhine state.
The new measure, which will also ban polygamy, will be applied to two Buthidaung and Maindauw, both of which have 95% Muslim populations. However, Win Myaing said authorities had not yet determined how the measures would be enforced.
The measure was enacted a week ago after a government-appointed commission investigated the violence and tried to find solutions to the conflict to ease tensions in the state. The commission has also recommended doubling the number of security forces in the conflict-prone region.
Sectarian violence in Myanmar first broke out nearly a year ago in Rakhine state. Mobs of Buddhists burned thousands of Muslim homes, leaving hundreds of people dead and forcing 125,000 to flee. The conflict then triggered a violence against the country's Muslim communities in other regions in Myanmar. Muslims constitute about 4% of Myanmar's roughly 60 million people.
SITA PLANASARI AQUADINI