Census being carried on despite ongoing violence in Kachin State

Census being carried on despite ongoing violence in Kachin State

Published on Sunday, 20 April 2014 22:12

Population information collected at an IDP camp in Kachin State (Photo/EMG)

The government has been collecting demographic information in Kachin State regardless of the skirmishes between the soldiers and the Kachin Independence Army, according to the Immigration and Population Department.

"Eight weeks have been extended to make up for technical delay even though the census-taking process was complete on April 10. During this period, the census was taken in nine villages of Kachin state," said Myint Kyaing, director-general of the Immigration and Population Department, on April 18.

"We had no difficulties in conducting the census in villages where the fights were going on. We have yet to take the census in certain villages located near the KIA's headquarters. And we took the census in nine villages. Coordination is being made to conduct the census for the remaining villages," he added.

The ongoing violence would not impact on the census because we would coordinate with the KIA leaders, he said.

The skirmishes have no bearing on the gathering of demographic information. The government as well as the United Nations Population Fund and the United Nations are in contacts with KIA leaders. The contact related to census taking is being done separately from that carried out by the Tatmadaw (army).

Except Kachin State, all villages of region/state across the country allow the census taking. And more than 100 of 2589 Kachin villages have yet to take part in the census, according to the Central Census Commission on April 11.

As of April 10, the fights between the government troops and the KIA have erupted, resulting in a large number of deaths and injuries for both sides.

Due to the violence, more than 10,000 villagers in Mansi township and Momauk township and the regions along Kachin and Shan states have fled to seek safe haven.

Source: http://www.news.myanmaronlinecentre.com/2014/04/21/census-being-carried-on-despite-ongoing-violence-in-kachin-state/