The Stateless Rohingya Blog

A volunteer collects census data in Arakan State. (Photo: Reuters) By Yen Snaing  Irrawaddy News August 18, 2014 RANGOON — Burma’s first nationwide census in three decades was conducted successfully and in line with international standards across the country, with the exception of Arakan State, according to a team of independent observers. A team of 46 national and international monitors witnessed how the census was conducted between March 30 and April 10 in all 15 of Burma’s states and divisions. The Independent Observation Mission witnessed a total of 2,193 interviews in 901 different enumeration areas in 121 townships, according to a statement dated Aug. 14. “The Mission described the Myanmar Census as successful on the whole and in line with international standards, except in Rakhine [Arakan], where almost all communities that wanted to self-identify as ‘Rohingya’ (who the Government call Bengali) were not counted,” said the statement distributed by the UN

EU to increase humanitarian assistance to Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants in detention centers to € 325 000    Bangkok , 18 August 2014 - The European Union is committing a further € 125 000 to provide humanitarian assistance to Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants, currently being held in immigration detention centers (men) and social welfare facilities (women and children) in Thailand. This brings the total EU assistance to these detainees to € 325 000 since June 2013. The project will be implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and aims to provide basic household items, supplementary nutrition and health care to those detained in 2014. This humanitarian action will be monitored by the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO), which maintains a regional office in Bangkok. Background :  Following inter-communal violence in Rakhine State in Myanmar/Burma since June 2012, thousands of Rohingya ha