Stateless and Forgotten: The Continuing Plight of Rohingya Refugees

[u/gnikivar2]

Between October 2016 and January 2017, the Tatmadaw, the armed forced of Myanmar, massacred more than 6,700 Rohingyas. Nearly a million Rohingya fled the genocide, the overwhelming majority of whom ended up in refugee camps in Bangladesh. The Kutupalong refugee camp has emerged as the largest refugee camp in the world, with a population of 600,000, with the remainder spread out through the Cox’s Bazaar region of Bangladesh. The situation faced by the Rohingya was desperate at arrival, as existing refugee camps in eastern Bangladesh had no time to prepare for the massive influx. Malnutrition was disturbingly common, with 7.5 percent of Rohingya ad 15% of Rohingya children suffering life threatening levels of hunger. In Kutupalong, the largest camp, 600,000 people were crowded into only 13 square kilometers of land, making it the densest place in the world. There wasn’t enough time to dig adequate drainage ditches, and deaths from waterborne diseases common.

Over time, the Rohingya have rebuilt their lives in refugee camps. The government of Bangladesh initially took a sympathetic view of the Rohingya. However, over time, resentment of the Rohingya grew. While, Rohingya are trying to rebuild their lives, many in Bangladesh are placing roadblocks. Rohingya have been blocked from getting local SIM cards, and internet access is severely curtailed. Rohingya were blamed for drug smuggling and petty crime. The government has refused to grant Rohingya work permits, although many are working illegally and starting microbusinesses. Food voucher systems have dramatically cut levels of hunger.

Although the government of Bangladesh did not extend the national school system into the refugee camps until January of 2020, informal schools and learning centers ensured Rohingya children got access to basic learning. However, due to COVID-19, the schools were forced to close down almost immediately. Lockdown policies shut Kutupalong and other refugee camps from broader Bangladeshi society, and there were fears that COVID-19 could be devestating in such a crowded location. So far, COVID-19 seems to have been contained, but it is unclear how long this can last.

The Rohingya crisis is increasingly forgotten, and their plight likely to made permanent. It seems increasingly unlikely that the Rohingya will ever return to Myanmar. The government of Myanmar has refused to acknowledge its guilt in the genocide. Moreover, the local Buddhists of Rakhine state have revolted against the national government, with tens of thousands displaced by new waves of violence. It seems impossible for the Rohingya to resettle in Myanmar with any degree of safety.

The latest crisis is the government of Bangladesh’s desire to resettle 100,000 settlers to Bhasan Char. Bhasan Char is an island that emerged from Himalayan silt in 2006. The government promises houses made of concrete with running water, and claims refugees resettled are moving voluntarily. However, rumors of coercion are widespread. This is hardly surprising given that the low lying island is at extreme risk from cyclones and rising sea levels. Moreover, the government has not allowed independent groups to verify the amenities and safety of the island. Many Rohingya fear that the true motivation of the project is to isolate Rohingya from each other, and to make it easier for the increasingly authoritarian government to monitor the Rohingya more closely. CCTV cameras monitor every inch of Bhasan Char, and the 15 man governing committee for the new camp has 10 representatives from the security sector, and none representing the interests of the Rohingya. It is a grim situation, likely to get grimmer as sympathy for the Rohingya fades, and refugees expelled from their home become problems to be solved.

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