Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh – The National Verification Card (NVC) scheme targetting Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslims is part of a systematic campaign by Myanmar authorities to erase their identity, according to a new report by Fortify Rights published on Tuesday.
The human rights organisation says the NVC process and denial of citizenship fall within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court in its probe into crimes against the minority group, which was initiated last year.
“The Myanmar government is trying to destroy the Rohingya people through an administrative process that effectively strips them of basic rights,” Matthew Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Fortify Rights, said in a statement by email.