Betwa Sharma for The Wall Street Journal The Rohingya Muslim camp in New Delhi.
Mohammed Ali spent 15 days of the fasting month of Ramadan in the mountains between Bangladesh and Myanmar, the country from where he was fleeing.
Mr. Ali, 17, says he only missed two days of fasting because of extreme hunger and fatigue as he hid from soldiers that comb the forests on the border.
Mr. Ali is from the western Rakhine state of Myanmar, where deadly clashes have erupted between Rohingya Muslims and ethnic Rakhine Buddhists. Following the violence, which has claimed the lives of at least 80 people, Muslims have been fleeing Myanmar. “We are not considered citizens,” said Mr. Ali. “They tell us that the British sent our ancestors here and so we must return to India, Bangladesh and Pakistan.”
Myanmar does not recognize Rohingya as its own citizens, saying they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. Members of this minority have been fleeing persecution in Myanmar for more than 20 years, seeking asylum in neighboring countries. Bangladesh, currently home to around 30,000 Rohingya, is no longer willing to take any more. Over the years, at least 7,000 Rohingya have made their way to India , where many hope to build a new life. Earlier this year, the Indian government granted them long-term stay visas, a step that has improved their welfare and safety in the country.
- Betwa Sharma for The Wall Street Journal
- Mohammed Ali arrived to the camp on Saturday night. Pictured, Mohammed Ali, second from right.
Mr. Ali arrived on Saturday night to a filthy camp of asylum seekers in an obscure area called Darul Hizrat in the capital. “Just in time for Eid,” the last day of Ramadan, he said. “It’s dirty but safe here.”
The rain, which rolls down the shiny oilcloths that roof the fragile hovels, flows into muddy rivulets around the settlement that is enveloped in stench of stagnant garbage.
Mr. Ali, who was beaten up in the recent clashes, parts his hair to show where a machete hit his scalp. “The hospital wouldn’t treat me,” he claims. Mr. Ali’s sister had previously fallen ill and died. “We don’t what happened because no doctor would see her,” he said. “They tell us go to a hospital in Bangladesh or India.”
Despite their bleak past and uncertain future, the Rohingyas celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr on Monday by praying together with other local Muslims in a big ground close to their camp. Even this basic service is precious to them.
The campers claimed that military rulers in Myanmar banned the public Eid prayer from happening in Rakhine state. “This is the first time they stopped Eid prayers,” said Jafar Alam, a 22-year-old resident of the camp.
“We all phoned our relatives in different villages and they all said that Eid prayers were not allowed anywhere outside,” said Mr. Alam, adding that they had previously been prevented from carrying Friday prayers.
Mr. Ali, a ninth grade student, says that this Eid he prayed for an opportunity to study more in India. “I always got the first position in class and I don’t want to do labor work,” he said. “I also have computer skills.”
Most of the other settlers earn 200 rupees ($4) a day by doing labor work.
Abdullah Ali, Mr. Ali’s older brother, who came to the camp earlier, collected 4000 rupees for his younger brother’s travel costs. Mr. Abdullah prayed for money to bring his parents and other siblings as well. “Otherwise, our family will be divided,” he said. “Already, the Rohingyas have split up in different parts of the world.”
The displaced Muslims celebrated Eid largely thanks to the generosity of charity groups and local Muslims who are donating basic materials like grain and rice. Some of the children in the camp even got new clothes. Ahmed, a middle-aged businessman, came to distribute packets of milk for the festival. “I’m not particularly wealthy but I can provide this much,” he said.
- Betwa Sharma for The Wall Street Journal
- Shown, children at the camp.
Members of the Rohingya community say that their exodus continues
“We were born into this situation,” said Hajibullah Rehman, who adds that two of his nephews disappeared on the seventh day of Ramadan. Mr. Rehman suspects they were taken away for forced labor.
While the others made wishes in their Eid prayers, Mr. Rehman thanked God for a safe landing. The 56-year-old asylum seeker admits that he took a huge risk in piling his six kids and wife into a boat to cross the Naf River into Bangladesh. “They are about 20 families on one boat,” he said. “But you do it because you can take one big risk or put your family in danger everyday by staying.”
Mr. Ali, who fasted through his flight, says this ordeal has not shaken his faith. “We could go back if we became Buddhists,” he said. “But we left our country so we could be Muslims because it matters the most.”
Betwa Sharma is a journalist focusing on human rights. She has reported for The Guardian, The New York Times and The Daily Beast, among others, and was previously the New York/United Nations correspondent for the Press Trust of India newswire. You can follow her on Twitter @betwasharma.
Follow India Real Time on Twitter @indiarealtime.
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