The National League for Democracy (NLD), has made expanding household list registration to include internal migrants, such as people from central Burma who have migrated to ethnic areas such as Shan State, one of its priorities for its first 100 days of office.

Previously internal migrants would have to wait many years to be registered for a household list the new rules will make it possible for those who have lived in an area for at least 6 month to register. This proposed policy change has raised many concerns amongst ethnic people worried that it will help contribute to a radical change in the ethnic make up their local communities.

U Sai Nyunt Lwin, the General Secretary of the SNLD, the second largest party in the Shan State parliament, said: “Our party will oppose it in parliament. We can accept it if they [the government] issue temporary registration cards, but now they are going to issue household lists. If [the migrants] get the household lists, they will become residents of that area.”

Ethnic Mon groups, including monks, have also called on the government to review the proposed changes. The Mon groups have alleged that the revised lists procedures are part of a territorial expansion into ethnic areas and internal colonization policy. They also claim that internal migration will lead to the disappearance of literature, culture, traditions and customs of ethnic people and “ruin friendship between ethnic people”.

The previous military regime was accused of using internal migration as part of its overall strategy to expand control over the country by sending non-ethnic residents, including former military officers, to ethnic areas. Resettling outsiders to ethnic areas was alleged to have been part of the army's plan to expand territorial control over ethnic areas.

Reached for comment a representative of the of the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA) told the Shan Herald that the issue of internal migration was an ongoing concern.

Col Sai La, Secretary (2) of the RCSS/SSA said: “What will our Shan [people] do? The amount of migration is high so it’s like trying to find the start of the problem."

Some observers have also questioned whether the proposed household list registration changes were being done to make it easier for the NLD to win the vote in ethnic areas in future elections.

Sai Aung Myint Oo from the Shan Youth Network said: “We need to ask whether this is advance preparation for the 2020 Election."

Many cities and towns in Shan State, including the state capital Taunggyi, are thought to have more residents who originate from outside the state than residents who originate from inside the state.

Reporter: Sai Aung Saing for SHAN