Burma’s Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday instructed social organizations prohibited last week from renewing their registrations to submit a letter of appeal if they wished to extend their registration, according to one Rangoon-based social group.

“The ministry instructed us on May 23 to write an appeal letter to them about the extension of the registration,” said an executive member of the Free Funeral Services Society.

Ministry officials gave the same instructions to other social organizations that were denied registration last week. The Myanmar Engineers Association, one of some 24 banned organizations, can now operate officially, said a source close to the group.

The decision last week not to renew registrations for selected social welfare groups in Burma sparked international criticism that seems to have prompted the Ministry of Home Affairs to backpedal on the issue.

Observers in Rangoon have suggested that Burma’s top generals may be concerned about China’s reaction to the closures. One of the organizations facing the ban was the Chinese Traders Association, founded in 1909.

Burma’s military regime in February 2006 imposed new restrictions on international and domestic aid organizations that many say have hindered the groups from serving the needs of Burma’s most vulnerable citizens.

Some social organizations have defied the ban on their activities. “Since the Home Ministry denied the extension of our registration, we have continued to run the organization according to the nature of our work,” said the FFSS executive member.

Observers say the funeral service group will likely get an extension of its registration, but only if they remove some of their executive members.

Two of the group’s most visible members-Vice President Kyaw Thu and Than Myint Aung, the group’s secretary-are also close to prominent democracy activists and may likely face expulsion if the organization is to continue operating.

In recent months, local police forces in Burma have launched their own free funeral services to counter the influence and success of the group.