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Citizenship in Myanmar: The Root of All Problems?

When: Thursday, December 10, 2020, 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Where: Online

This event is hosted by the International State Crime Initiative (ISCI) and Burma Human Rights Network.

About this Event

Chair: Dr Alicia de la Cour Venning

Speakers: Dr Ronan Lee, U Ohn Maung, Htike Htike, and Kyaw Win

This webinar, co-hosted by ISCI (www.statecrime.org) and BHRN (www.bhrn.org.uk), and conducted in English and Burmese, aims to build and re-enforce alliances on the issue of citizenship in order to work towards 'defusing' the ethnic conflicts which the thorny issue of citizenship fuels. The Burma/Myanmar ‘1982 Citizenship law’ is both unjust and discriminatory. Legislative reform is seen by those seeking to influence the Burma/Myanmar government as crucial to addressing some of the country's most pressing human rights violations. Our speakers will delve into the history and application of the relevant law as well as facilitating conversations around the re-imagination of what belonging and citizenship means, and what it could mean to be 'Burmese' post military dictatorship. The aim of the webinar is to kick-start conversations and promote sustainable campaigns to allow the notion of citizenship to be debated and redefined from within Burma/Myanmar. Four short talks will be followed by a Q&A for about 25 minutes.

Speaker bios

Dr Ronan Lee

Ronan Lee is a Visiting Scholar at Queen Mary University of London’s School of Law and the International State Crime Initiative. His work focusses on Asian politics, genocide, hate speech and migration. Ronan’s book “Myanmar’s Rohingya Genocide: Identity, History and Hate Speech” will be published by Bloomsbury during February 2021. He was formerly a Queensland State Member of Parliament and served on the frontbench as a Parliamentary Secretary in portfolios including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Justice and Youth.

U Ohn Maung

U Ohn Maung (LLB) is a professional lawyer based in Yangon, Burma. He is a co-founder and Secretary General of Peace Cultivation Network (PCN), a civil society organisation. He is known for his relentless efforts and analysis on the topic such 1982 citizenship law, federalism and constitutional reforms and is author of several books in Burmese.

Htike Htike

Htike Htike is a researcher, humanitarian and human rights advocate. She is Rohingya, originally from Rakhine State, Myanmar and is currently a PhD Student at the School of Law, Queen Mary University of London.

Kyaw Win

Kyaw Win is a human rights activist, born and brought up in Rangoon, Burma (Myanmar) and currently living in UK with his family. He is founder and Executive Director of Burma Human Rights Network (BHRN). He has spent several years raising awareness within the international community regarding religious intolerance and persecution of minorities in Myanmar. Kyaw Win also authored several articles and reports on the several topics that are related to Burma’s controversial 1982 citizenship law.

BHRNUK Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BHRNUK and Twitter: @BHRNUK

**Please note this is an online event and all registrants will be sent joining instructions on Wednesday, 9 December when this booking will close.

There will be English to Burmese translation available for the event. View Burmese Translation.

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