Rohingyas from Buthidang today said that the Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) is purposefully denying Rohingya students from going to Sittwe University because of travel permit cards. To obtain a travel permit, one has to show various credentials and even to pay a lot of kyats to the concerned authorities. Rohingya students have become completely helpless and deteriorated to the demands of the concerned authorities.
A Rohingya from Maungdaw, who did not wish to be named, said, “Since 2012, Rohingya students have been banned from attending university in Rakhine State. But this year the Myanmar government allowed some students to study at Sittwe University.” He further said that the students who came to their village are not being allowed to go to the university again because of the travel permit card.
“Since 1992, the Rohingyas have been restricted in their travel rights. They need a certificate from the village administration office to even go from one village to another. If any Rohingya wants to travel to a different Township, he/she need a letter of recommendation from the District Immigration and People’s Power Department. Getting such a letter of recommendation goes through many steps and to spend a lot of Kyats,” another Rohingya said.
The students, who did not wish to be named for security reasons, said that the financial cost of obtaining letters of recommendation has become a big burden for Sittwe University students.
“Affluent parents can spend as much as they want on their children’s education, but for ordinary people like us who have to save even a few thousand kyats, the cost of certificates is now too high. Because I can’t afford these things, I have to decide not to go to school anymore”, said a student sadly revealing his family’s condition.
Documents required for travel permit include: a letter of recommendation from Ward/Village Administrator, letter of recommendation from Township General Administration Department; letter of support from concerned police station. All these documents should be submitted to the District Immigration and Manpower Department along with proof of Covid vaccination record for travel permit.
“However, to collect all the said documents, one needs to pay 5,000 kyat/- to the ward/village administrator, 30,000 kyat to the township general administration department, 10,000 kyat for the relevant police certificate and 30,000 kyat for the certificate of COVID vaccination record,” another student said and also mentioned that if the age is wrong, they will have to pay up to 50,000 kyat.
The students said that they do not know how much they will have to pay to the county government in order to get issuance of the final travel permit.
