Following the Burmese government’s invitation for public opinion on a proposed Religious Conversion Law, 81 organisations from Burma and elsewhere have recommended that it be completely discarded.

Three days of talks at the Myanmar Peace Centre between an alliance of 17 ethnic armed groups and a government delegation saw further discussion on the specific points of a single-text agreement which has now been solidified into a second draft.

Sixty women’s rights organisations gathered in Shan State, eastern Burma on 18-19 May to discuss further inclusion of women in the country’s peace process.

Many ethnic leaders are opposed to a list that only recognises 135 specified ethnic groups in Burma - a list that dates back to British colonial times. (PHOTO: Shan family/ public domain)

Tomas Ojea Quintana met with protest as he arrived in western Burma’s Arakan State on Friday during his last visit to the country as United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Burma.

The 2014 census is a huge undertaking for Burma's government, who insist they have the cooperation of all. The ICG say questions on religion and ethnicity are potentially 'divisive', they may have trouble just getting an answer.