The Stateless Rohingya Blog

Joint Statement by Rohingya organisations: The undersigned Rohingya organisations have welcomed the decision of the Indian government to grant long-term visas to the Rohingyas. The UNHCR called it “a huge step forward for their protection and safety in India”.  Rohingya, a peace loving people inhabiting Arakan with a long history, are not tolerated in Burma for their South Asian appearance in contrast to Southeast Asian. They have been subjected to ethnic, religious and political persecution in their native country, where they have absolute rights to be on an equal footing with all other citizens.

Representatives from the Rohingya Association Canada (RAC) had a meeting with their MP, Mr. Harold Albrecht, from the Kitchener-Conestoga riding to discuss the issue of Rohingya’s plight.

(IRIN)  – A recent decision to undertake a national census could prove key to empowering Burma’s more than 100 ethnic groups, provided it is inclusive and conducted to international standards. 

Since last week, more than 1,000 Rohingya people displaced from Burma have been camping in the Indian capital, Delhi, seeking refugee status from the UN refugee agency. Over the years, thousands of Rohingyas - a Muslim minority group in Burma - have fled to India to escape persecution. Avinash Dutt of the BBC Hindi service speaks to some to them to find out about their problems

Saiful Huq Omi, a photographer based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, first focused on Burma's Rohingya refugees in 2009, when he began documenting their lives in Bangladesh, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom. The Rohingya—an ethnic, religious, and linguistic minority from Burma's northern Rakhine State—have been persecuted for decades; nearly a million of them are estimated to reside in Burma, while another half million have sought refuge in Bangladesh. Smaller populations have fled to other countries.

Chittagong, Bangladesh:  Bangladeshi police arrested over fifty Rohingyas from different localities on May 13-15 and sent to jail, said a local from the locality. “The police of Chandanach police raided and arrested them from the Bottali area under the Chittagong zone.”

By Fayas Ahmed, the Editor of Kaladan Press Network (KPN) Mr. Nurul Islam, the president of Arakan Rohingya National Organization (ARNO) based in London who had given an interview on recent situation of Rohingya after Thein Sein’s new government’s reform process towards the democracy. Mr. Nurul Islam, the president of Arakan Rohingya  National Organization (ARNO)  KPN:  The Thein Sein’s new government held meetings with ethnic groups such as - Karen, Mon. Rakhine, Shan, Chin and Kachin--etc, but the government excludes the Rohingya community.  Regarding this, what is your opinion?