90 State power and identification schemes in Rakhine was broken, and as evidence of how a citizenship they once possessed was stolen from them by the post-1962 military regime. Conclusion In this chapter, I have explored some of the parallels between colonial identification schemes prior to Burma’s independence and today’s ID schemes in Myanmar. I have also shown how in the lead-up to, and in the early years of independence, north Rakhine State was incorporated within Myanmar and citizenship and equal rights were provided to Rohingya. The ID schemes of newly independent Burma were a marked and intentional departure from the hierarchical identification schemes developed by the British. They were intended as an equalising technology and a strategic embrace of minorities in a multi-ethnic post-conflict situation. The following chapter considers how Rohingya oral histories describe the periods prior to military rule in Myanmar through ID card narratives. Notes 1 These are compiled in two large volumes by Tinker, Griffin et al. (1984). 2 For the purpose of this study, these documents were approached as historic artefacts rather than legal documents per se. For historical approaches to constitutions, etc., in citizenship studies, see Hayden (1996). 3 Aung San was the founder of the Burma armed forces and was instrumental in the fight for independence. He was assassinated six months before Burma gained independence. He is also father of Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s de facto leader prior to the military coup of 1 Feb 2021. 4 Nu was also a close comrade of Raschid in the pro-independence student movement. He was Prime Minister for three parliamentary periods between 1948 and 1962, before Ne Win took over in a military coup. His government included Rohingya, Muslims, and Burmese-Indians. 5 Permission was obtained from the son of the late Raschid to draw on the personal correspondence for research purposes. There are 37 documents in all—12 letters, 13 original newspaper cuttings, and 2 photos. 6 I identified significant historic moments from the oral histories and narratives. These included the British entry into Rakhine; war and exodus in Japanese-occupied Rakhine from 1942; Aung San’s visit to Maungdaw in 1946; the demarcation of borders between Burma and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in 1947; the assassination of Aung San in 1947; the advent of independence in 1948; the establishment of the Mayyu district in 1961. 7 Rohingya man in his seventies. In44, Thayingkhali camp, 25/09/2018. 8 The Union Citizenship Act of 1948 3(1) had a similar definition of ‘indigenous race’ but included a more expansive definition of ‘citizen.’ 9 In34, Chittagong, 02/08/2018. Rohang is an old name for Rakhine from which the word ‘Rohingya’ is thought to derive. See Charney, M. (2007). The Naf river forms part of today’s border between Myanmar and Bangladesh. 10 Ob11, Shahpuri, 30/07/2018. 11 The East India Company preceded the British Crown in controlling vast areas of the Indian sub-continent, and commanded twice as many troops as the British national armed forces Dalrymple (2020). 12 In39, Ramu Central Buddhist Temple, 31/07/2018.