A series of protest were staged in a number of major cities in Rakhine State against a decision by authorities to issue citizenship identification cards to some members of Rohingya community in the state. The protest were stage in Sittwe, Mrauk U, Buthitaung, Rathetaung, Kyauk Taw, Min Bya and Myay Bone. The protesters alleged that the citizenship were issued without doing proper assessment under the Burma Citizenship Law of 1982. They called for prosecution of the immigration officers who were involved in issuing citizenship to Rohingyas and also called to revoke the identification cards and to include members of local communities in the citizenship verification committee. The Maungtaw Region declaration issued on 27 February said that the head of the State Immigration Department U Win Lwin has issued citizenship IDs to 53 Rohingya people without issuing the Nationalities Verification Card (NVC). A pro-Rakhine group, the Western Gate Protection Committee, sponsored the protest marches and a decision to stage the state-wide protest marches on citizenship issue was adopted at a special sitting of the committee held in Sittwe on 8 March. The decision was to stage daily protests in 17 towns in Rakhine State for eight consecutive days. The protestors from the other parts of the state were gathered in Wingabar sports ground in the state capital Sittwe during 21 to 23 of March. In last August, a lawsuit was filed against U Win Lwin in Sittwe on allegation of issuing citizenship identification cards to 29 Rohingya people. The lawsuit was filed by the members of Rakhine community after staging protest against the immigration department head. The Minister of Immigration U Thein Swe said the no substantial progress has been made in verification of citizenship for Rohingya people, due to disruption and intimidation by local Rakhine people. He made the comment during a meeting of Immigration Department held in Nay Pyi Taw on 15 February. A media release issued by the State Counsellor Office on 14 February said 6357 people were issued with the Nationalities Verification Card (NVC). NVC cards are to be issued to 397 497 Rohingya people who have surrendered their temporary registration cards at an order by the government in May 2015. They need to be issued with new registration card after a verification under the Burma Citizenship Law of 1982. Reference: 7 Day Daily, 21 March, Narinjara 9 March