UN to call Burmans ‘People who believe in Buddha’

Following the demand by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi that Rohingya people be described as ‘people who believe in Islam’ or 'Muslim community in Rakhine', the United Nations has issued a secret memo stating that in order to treat all ethnic groups in Myanmar equally, it will also have to avoid using ethnic names for all other ethnic groups in Myanmar.

A new guide has been issued to all UN staff in Myanmar with new definitions, which are to be used immediately.

Burman: People who believe in Buddha

Muslim Burman: People who believe in Islam but are not Rohingya

Mon: Other people who believe in Buddha

Rakhine: Other people who believe in Buddha but don’t like Burmans

Shan: Other people who believe in Buddha and don’t like anybody else.

Kachin: People who believe in Jesus.

Chin: People who believe in Jesus even more than other people who believe in Jesus

Karen: People who believe in Jesus, Buddha and the four principles

Karenni: People who believe in Jesus and the 1875 treaty

Ex-pat: People who believe in the latest trendy bar opening in downtown Yangon

UN Secretary General Special Envoy to Myanmar: People who believe anything men wearing green tell them