The Ministry of Immigration and Population under the military junta will issue smart ID cards to the people living in Lashio, Northern Shan State, starting April 1st, according to locals.
As of now, residents who do not have a Unique Identification Number- UID (locally called smart card) are threatened that they will not get a passport if they apply for a passport to go abroad.
“If we don’t have a smart ID card, it’s not just a passport; we can’t get a visa anymore, and now you can’t go anywhere if you don’t,” said a Lashio resident.
The smart ID cards will be issued in five locations, including the Township Immigration Office, the District Immigration Office, Ward 1 Administrative Office, Religious Community Hall and Yunan Temple in Lashio City.
A woman from Lashio said that the ward administrator announced that those who will make a smart ID card must wear a shirt and bring the household family list, the original and a copy of the citizen ID card (before).
“The way they (the military junta) do it is very obvious. They only want to take information from the people. I mean, we have ID cards, that should be fine. Now, they limit this or that. And they ask for money. Our country does not have any progress. In the end, people are getting troubles, and we don’t get any benefits,” she said.
Residents believe that forcing Lashio residents to make smart ID cards could also be for military service.
Similarly, at the passport office on the Taunggyi-Tachileik Road, Thit Taw Ward, Taunggyi City, the capital of Shan State, passports are only allowed to be issued after the ID card (before) has been changed to a smart IDcard.
The military junta started implementing the conversion of ID cards to smart ID cards starting on June 26 last year, and the smart ID card is integrated digitally and can be checked with biometric information.