A/HRC/42/CRP.5 person who needs to apply for citizenship in accordance with the Myanmar citizenship law”.118 With the exception of the group of 2,000 Rohingya from Myebon, who received a form of citizenship in the pilot verification exercise that began in 2014,119 the Mission is unaware of any cases where NVCs have led to the same, or similar, results. 76. Second, the NVCs have not granted cardholders the ability to travel more freely or access their rights in a more meaningful way. Information from interviewees indicates that NVC-holders, similar to non NVC-holders, continue to face harassment and extortion at security checkpoints by the Tatmadaw and Border Guard Police (BGP) officials, affecting their freedom of movement.120 The Mission is also aware of reports of fishermen in Sittwe in possession of NVCs still being permitted to fish for only two days a week. 121 Harassment, intimidation and coercion 77. In its 2018 report, the Mission found that Rohingya were forced to accept NVCs through administrative pressure, threats and acts of violence.122 BGP and immigration officers consistently used threats and intimidation to force Rohingya to accept NVCs. 123 Rohingya were told that they were Bengali,124 as the NVCs recorded, and did not belong to Myanmar.125 These derogatory statements were often accompanied by threats that their villages would be burnt down and people killed if they refused to accept the NVC. 126 In some instances, Rohingya were told that they had to either accept the NVC or leave the country.127 78. Some of these patterns continue to be reported to the Mission. In incidents that the Mission investigated, authorities resorted to extreme measures, including by making NVCs compulsory to enjoy freedom of movement, which resulted in the deprivation of livelihoods and work. NVCs have become the mandatory document to be checked at the security checkpoints,128 in the context of an increased number of security checkpoints throughout northern Rakhine State. One interviewee stated to the Mission: My brother and I used to work as drivers in Maungdaw Town. Following the August 2017 violence, authorities began checking NVC when traveling from one location to another. Prior to the violence, only driving licence was required for driving. Without NVC I was unable to travel a long distance and could only move within my 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 NVC on file with IIFFM. UNHCR, Study on Community Perceptions of Citizenship, Documentation and Rights in Rakhine State, UNHCR, August 2016, p.2, available from https://themimu.info/sites/themimu.info/files/assessment_file_attachments/Community_Perceptions_ FINAL.PDF ; See also Equal Times, Citizenship for a few and rights for none, available from https://www.equaltimes.org/citizenship-for-a-few-rights-for#.XUqlGORlKmQ. CI-325, FI-052, FI-053. European Interest, National Verification Card – A Barrier to Rohingya Repatriation, 31 July 2019, available from https://www.europeaninterest.eu/article/national-verification-card-barrier-rohingyarepatriation/. FI-052, FI-053, A/HRC/40/37, https://www.dhakatribune.com/world/south-asia/2017/10/30/takenational-verification-card-leave-myanmar/, https://www.europeaninterest.eu/article/nationalverification-card-barrier-rohingya-repatriation/. A/HRC/39/CRP.2, Para 1130. CI-238, FI-052. CI-228, FI-014, FFFGEN-1-84054. CI-238, FFFGEN-1-84054, https://www.dhakatribune.com/world/south-asia/2017/10/30/takenational-verification-card-leave-myanmar/. CI-293, FI-015, FI-018, FI-019, FI-022, FI-039, FI-044, FFFGEN-1-84054, Dhaka Tribune, Take national verification card or leave Myanmar, 31 October 2017; Human Rights Watch, World report 2019. CI-287, CI-306, FI-023, FI-024, FI-025, FI-029, FI-035, FI-052, LI-226, CM-007, LM-058, RM-010, V-370, Australian Strategic Policy Institute, Mapping Conditions in Rakhine State, available from https://pageflow.aspi.org.au/rakhine-state. 25