Burma Myanmar to Deport 86 Chinese Migrants for Illegal Residency After Yangon Bust

Myanmar police inspect a house crowded with illegal Chinese migrants in Thingangyun Township on Saturday night. / Aung Kyaw Htet / The Irrawaddy

Yangon – A total of 86 of 118 Chinese people will be deported for violating Myanmar’s immigration rules, according to Yangon Region’s Ministry of Immigration and Human Resources.

More than 100 Chinese people in the two houses had failed to apply for form C with the township’s immigration department. Some of them arrived this month, according to the authorities.

A total of 64 Chinese people were found in the Hninsi Street house and another 54 were detained on Pannwar Street.

They worked for two Chinese-owned companies: the One by One online marketing firm and Fresh Wave Business Services, a computer programming firm.

A Yangon immigration ministry representative told The Irrawaddy that 86 of the Chinese citizens failed to apply for form C.

The form allows a house or company owner to report foreigners within 24 hours. Those detained had passports, visas, housing details and recommendation letters.

“Today, we will deport the first 18 Chinese people. We are also planning to deport the rest,” said the spokesperson.

The authorities said they were investigating the firms and the homeowners to find out who was responsible for submitting form C.

The Yangon authorities were cooperating with the Myanmar Investment Commission to find out who was responsible for the company’s registration.

To counter the threat of the coronavirus, cinemas and nursery schools have been closed and religious festivals have been postponed or canceled under orders from the President’s Office.

The Thingyan water festival is being postponed until at least April 30.

Citizens returning from countries suffering from COVID-19 outbreaks must also be quarantined for 14 days.

No visas are being issued until at least April 30.

According to the World Health Organization, approximately 335,000 people have tested positive with the coronavirus and around 14,800 people have died.

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