No place called home

Rohingya children from Myanmar cry after being arrested by Border Guards of Bangladesh (BGB) while trying to get into Bangladesh, in Teknaf June 18, 2012.

Khaleej Times: 2 February

2013 After the news of the ethnic massacre of the Rohingya community in Myanmar exploded in mainstream media last year, the country’s military government and pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi came under fire for being tight-lipped on the issue.

Reports regarding the rampant arson, rape, pillage and mass displacement of the Muslim minority community appalled the world. But months have lapsed since the conflict was hot news in the media, and predictably, people’s sympathy for the beleaguered community, which was on all-time high, has abruptly faded into forgetfulness.

The plight of the Rohingya persists, however, and mostly because no state is willing to accept them. Rendered stateless by a controversial 1982 decree issued by the military government in Myanmar (then Burma), these people have suffered a history of persecution.

Ever since the outbreak of riots in Myanmar’s Rakhine province last year, this targeted minority has tried to escape death by fleeing to neighbouring countries. While fleeing to foreign lands might have saved lives of some, it has also exposed them to the pits of destitution and discrimination. In Bangladesh, the nearly 20,000 Rohingyas who fled Myanmar live in refugee camps in the most deplorable conditions, and many have resorted to prostitution and other crimes to sustain themselves. Vulnerable to abuse, these refugees live in the constant fear of getting arrested and deported by the authorities in Bangladesh. Since July last year, Bangladesh police and border authorities have launched a massive crackdown, forcing over 6,000 Rohingyas back to Myanmar.

Thailand has also been active in cracking down on illegal Rohingya immigrants and has thwarted scores of them from entering the country via the sea. Recently, the Thai navy turned away 200 Rohingyas in boats off the coast of Thai mainland.

It’s rather unfortunate that the international community has failed to collaborate on this vexing issue. As country after country refuses to give refuge to these destitute people, they shut their eyes to the reality of their existence. It seems like for the Rohingyas, finding a place they can call home will continue to be a harsh and never-ending struggle.

Amnesty International's T. Kumar to Speak at the Islamic Society of North America's Convention

Amnesty International's T. Kumar to Speak at the Islamic Society of North America's Convention Advocacy Director T. Kumar to Speak on Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar (Burma) Contact: Carolyn Lang, clang@aiusa.org, 202-675-8759 /EINPresswire.com/ (Washington, D.C.) -- Amnesty International Advocacy Director T. Kumar will address the Islamic Society of North America's 49th Annual Convention "One Nation Under God: Striving for the Common Good," in regards to the minority community of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar (Burma) on Saturday, September 1, at 11:30 am at the Washington DC Convention Center.

American Buddhists Promote 969 Movement With Website

Irrawaddy News: July 9, 2013 A group of American Buddhists has launched an English-language website promoting the 969 movement, in response to negative media surrounding the ultra-nationalist Buddhist campaign in Burma. The website aims to dispel “myths” about the movement, with a letter from nationalist monk Wirathu to a Time magazine reporter whose article about 969 was banned in Burma. “We’re not officially endorsed by Ven Wirathu at this time but will send a delegation to his monastery soon,” a spokesperson for the site said via email, adding that the group would create a nonprofit to coordinate “969 activities worldwide in response to religious oppression.”

Rohingya Activist Nominated for Human Rights Award

PHR congratulates Zaw Min Htut, a Burmese Rohingya activist, on his nomination for the 2011 US State Department Human Rights Defenders Award . Zaw Min Htut has been working for Rohingyas’ rights through the Burmese Rohingya Association of Japan since he fled Burma in 1998. Prior to that he was a student activist in Burma, and was detained for his participation in protests in 1996. In Japan, Zaw Min Htut has organized protests at the Burmese embassy and has written books on the history of Rohingya.

The Stateless Rohingya Blog

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