The census is the basic tool of government, telling an administration how many people fall under its rule, where they live, what they do and what services they need.
All too often, however, the census becomes a political tool. That appears to be happening in Burma, which only recently emerged after more than 50 years of military rule and where the first census is being undertaken since 1983. Several of Burma’s multitude of ethnic minorities have banned census-takers from their territories, alleging some of the questions suggest intentions to downplay the significance of these groups.
