Rohingya Crisis

Rohingya crisis is a humanitarian crisis spreading in Myanmar and Bangladesh. The origin of the violence is originated in Myanmar's Rakhine State when hundreds of thousands of people has forced to flee their homes. The Rakhine State lies in the western coastal region of Myanmar bound with Bay of Bengal. The people are forced to moved from Rakhine State of Myanmar to the neighboring city of Cox's Bazar district of Bangladesh. Most of them crossed by land into Bangladesh while others have take sea to reach Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

Rohingya Crisis

History behind Rohingya Crisis

In the Rakhine region, thousands of Rohingya came to former Arakan Kingdom in fifteenth Century and many other arrived during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries when Rakhine was governed by colonial rule as part of British India. Since, independence in 1948, the government in Burma renamed Myanmar, refuted Rohingya's historical claims and denied their recognition. Myanmar is a predominantly Buddhist country. Myanmar's government discriminatory policy since 1970s compelled Minority Muslim Rohingya to flee their homes. During 1962 Rohingya population in Myanmar suffered from both the military rule as well as Buddhist majority in Rakhine State. Since, that time they begin to flee to Bangladesh. In 1982, government of Myanmar declares Official 135 ethnic groups and Rohingya are not included leaving them stateless and no citizenship. In June and October of 2012 Religious violence took over in Rakhine state that killed more than 200 people and cause 1,50,000+ people homeless. Rohingya were forbidden to participate in 2014, the first official census in Myanmar over decades. During elections held in 2015 after easing Military rule, Rohingya were not allowed to participate neither as candidate nor as voter. In 2016, a serious armed conflict occurs in Myanmar; Rakhine state which caused 87,000 people to flee to Bangladesh.

Current Status of Rohingya Crisis

Till date the number of Rohingya people fled for their lives across the border into Bangladesh reached more than 10,00,000 (we call it ten lakhs; internationally 1 million). As many as 15,000 people crossing the boarder in single day sometimes. The unknown number of people displaced in northern Rakhine State not in any official records.  The refugees escaping to Bangladesh have walked for miles on end. More haven't eaten for days. They don't have money for food, shelter or medicine. The threat of disease and hunger is equally threatening them.  They urgently need support. 60 km or more to walk to reach camps in Bangladesh or shared boat with hundreds of people. UN Secretary – General Antonio Guterres called the situation "Catastrophic" and he requested the Myanmar authorities to suspend military action and end the violence. This community have opinion that they are treated as football as they are kicked from both sides. Now, it's time to raise hand against this unhuman act to Rohingya community.

Next>>>

<<<Previous