ASIA/BANGLADESH - The Rohingya, the people no one wants

Cox's Bazar (Agenzia Fides) - They have been called, with an expression that sums up their history and story, "the people no one wants". The Rohingya people, a Muslim ethnic minority who for centuries have lived in Rakhine State, in western Myanmar, have been the protagonists of a tormented story for decades, marked in the last six years by violence and forced displacement. In 1982 a nationality law, enforced by the ruling military junta, denied the Rohingya citizenship and many of the freedoms that went along with it, making them de facto "stateless". When violence against the Rohingya broke out in 2017, hundreds of thousands of them were forced to flee their homes and cross the border into neighboring Bangladesh. Since then, more than 1.2 million Rohingya reside in refugee camps in Cox's Bazar where most of them do not have official "refugee" status, which would grant them specific rights and protections. In Bangladesh, the Rohingya are officially designated as “forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals.”
Life in the 33 refugee camps that welcome them is guaranteed by international contributions (from entities such as the WFP, the Bangladeshi government, the "Ngo platform of Cox's Bazar", composed of 148 associations). The Rohingya face a multitude of challenges in the camps. There are few livelihood opportunities, and education does not go beyond primary school. Health care is difficult to access, especially for women. Gender-based violence and child marriage are so common they have been normalized", notes the NGO Rangpur Dinajpur Rural Service (RDRS) Bangladesh, which has accompanied Rohingya refugees since 2019, addressing issues that range from income generation to the live of women, youth and people with disabilities. Priority is "health and education for all," says the NGO, which also works in response to disasters. In fact, in 2021, a fire broke out in one of the camps and spread rapidly through bamboo and tarpaulin shelters. More recently, Rohingya refugees faced the devastating impact of Cyclone Mocha, which severely affected all 33 refugee camps in Cox's Bazar and surrounding villages, leaving thousands in desperate need.
The Rohingya - whose plight represents one of the planet's most massive refugee crises, the subject of several appeals by Pope Francis - fear being forgotten. The Rohingya want to return to their homes in Myanmar in safety and with dignity, but currently the Myanmar government does not intend to take them in all the more because, after the military coup of February 1, 2021, and the ongoing civil war in the country, it is impossible for them to make any assumptions about returning home.
For this reason, thousands of refugees have already fled to Malaysia and Indonesia, paying smugglers. The emergency continues, UNHCR says, noting that refugees are exhausted, hungry and sick, in need of international protection and humanitarian assistance. Caritas Bangladesh is also working among the Rohingya with projects for shelter, education, food and health care.
On the occasion of World Refugee Day, which is celebrated today, June 20, a documentary entitled "Where Will I Go" narrates the harrowing experiences of Rohingya refugees in Cox's Bazar. The film, directed and produced by Indian filmmaker Khalid Rahman, aims to raise awareness of the inhumane conditions, violence and oppression suffered by the Rohingya people in Myanmar, with a focus on legal recognition, justice for victims and global awareness to defend the dignity and rights of the Rohingya community. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 20/6/2023)

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refugees

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ethnic minorities

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