The NLD has made no attempt to remove the legal obstacles that seriously restrict the fundamental rights of Rohingya. This includes the failure to officially repeal orders from local authorities, decreed under previous military governments between 1993 and 2009, which impose restrictions on freedom of movement, marriage, childbirth, access to basic services, and livelihood opportunities for Rohingya.

Parliament, dominated by NLD lawmakers, and the executive branch, headed by President Htin Kyaw and State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, have also failed to take any action towards the review and amendment of the 1982 Citizenship Law. The law is not in line with international standards and restricts access to citizenship for Rohingya. Instead of encouraging a parliamentary review of the 1982 Citizenship Law, the government has pursued the previous administration’s flawed approach to the issue of Rohingya citizenship and resurrected a pilot citizenship verification process for stateless Muslims, including Rohingya. Regrettably, the government has also decided to follow the previous administration’s official policy of avoiding the use of the term ‘Rohingya.’

Since the new government took office, reports of human rights violations committed by security forces against Rohingya in Rakhine State have continued to surface. A fresh outbreak of violence in northern Rakhine State in October 2016 underscored the decades-old pattern of persecution against Rohingya and impunity of those responsible. In addition, the situation in IDP camps in Rakhine State remains dire. About 120,000 IDPs, the vast majority of whom are Rohingya, remain in IDP camps across Rakhine State.

“The NLD-led government’s half-baked policies towards Rohingya have clearly failed to ease tensions and promote stability in Rakhine State. A new, bold, human rights-centered approach is urgently needed to deal with the plight of Rohingya.”