We Are Rohingya
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Since 1990, many Rohingya children have been born and raised in the official camps in Kutupalong and Nayapara, Bangladesh. They are neither Bangladeshi nor Burmese citizens and face a lifetime of statelessness. © Saiful Huq Omi -
Restricted from traveling or finding work outside of the camps, Rohingyas have opened small shops within their communities. Without citizenship, they have no legal rights to conduct business or own property. © Saiful Huq Omi -
A man digging a well to get some fresh water must dig deep. Due to lack of natural water sources in Nayapara camp, water is distributed through open taps twice a day. The availability of water remains irregular. The government of Bangladesh has agreed to allow for excavation of a water reservoir. © Saiful Huq Omi -
A family in the Nayapara camp prepares a meal of rice. Unable to leave the camps to farm or work, the Rohingyas rely solely on biweekly food rations from international aid organizations. Nearly 80 percent of children and 53 percent of adults are reportedly suffering from chronic malnutrition. © Saiful Huq Omi -
Women and children queue at a basic medical center set up for camp inhabitants. © Saiful Huq Omi -
In 2006, the government of Bangladesh began to permit formal primary education in the two official camps. There are also a number of madrasahs. In these religious schools, young boys learn the Qur’an. © Saiful Huq Omi -
After collecting wood from a nearby hill, a Rohingya man takes the way back to the camp. The Rohingya are not formally allowed to leave the camps without permission, granted only for medical and hospital referrals, court appointments, and family visits between camps. © Saiful Huq Omi -
Burma is on the other side of the Naaf river, which was the primary route for the Rohingya when they fled the country for Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government tolerates informal low-skill day labor for refugees in fishing and agriculture, but without legal rights the Rohingya remain vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. © Saiful Huq Omi -
Those who fled to Bangladesh continue to live without protection of the law, restricted from formal education, reliable health care, and the ability to develop sources of food or income. © Saiful Huq Omi -
A man standing on the Bangladesh banks of the Naaf points toward Burma, on the other side of the river. With no resolution in sight, the plight of the Rohingya continues to reveal the discrimination, exploitation, and abuse of human rights that can result from being rendered stateless. © Saiful Huq Omi
The Rohingya are from western Burma. As a Muslim minority group, they face systematic discrimination by the military regime. The Rohingya are not considered citizens and are unable to move, marry, or find jobs without obtaining permits or paying bribes. Without the basic rights afforded by citizenship, they are helpless to avoid arbitrary taxation, forced labor, or confiscation of their land.
In the 1990s, nearly a quarter of a million Rohingya fled into neighboring Bangladesh in hopes of escaping their persecution in Burma. The government of Bangladesh declared the Rohingya illegal immigrants and placed them in refugee camps.
Since the mass exodus two decades ago, 28,932 Rohingya still live in official camps in Bangladesh, with another 17,000 living without support in nearby makeshift camps. Around 200,000 more, denied official refugee status and labeled “illegal economic migrants,” are living in cities in Bangladesh. Those who fled to Bangladesh live without protection of the law and are restricted from formal education, reliable health care, and regular sources of food or income. Those who remain in Burma continue to face similar discriminations.
The Rohingya are neither citizens of Burma nor Bangladesh. With no resolution in sight, many young men choose to leave Bangladesh for third countries like Malaysia, Thailand, and even Saudi Arabia in order to send money home to impoverished families. The plight of the Rohingya demonstrates the discrimination, exploitation, and abuse that people face when they are rendered stateless.
The Open Society Burma Project is documenting the plight of stateless Rohingya via reports and photography. The project also provides protection for refugees and migrants through legal aid and advocacy.
