Fearing Home

There is no place for the “stateless” Rohingya from the Northern Rakhine State (NRS) in Myanmar. They are fleeing from their own land due to ongoing violation of their human rights by the Burmese State Pace and Development Council (SPDC) that subjects them to forced labour, confiscation of lands, restricted freedom of movement, forced relocation, rape, torture, destruction of mosques. Rohingya are not recognized as citizens in Myanmar yet, and when they cross the border to Bangladesh they still don’t have a place to live as they have to survive in lands where they are not welcome.
From 1991 to 1992 almost 260,000 Rohingya arrived in Bangladesh settling in different camps of the Coxs Bazaar District. Between 1993 and 1994 most of them (around 200,000) were forced back to Myanmar even if the situation has not improved and most of their lands have been confiscated.
From this moment (93-94), those Rohingya arriving in Bangladesh (because they are still fleeing Myanmar) are no longer recognized as refugees neither from the Bangladesh Government nor from the UNHCR (United Nation High Commission for Refugees). This means that they don’t have rights, protection and general assistance from national and international NGOs (Medecines Sans Frontieres is the only one providing medical care, drinkable water and latrines).
Bangladesh Government defines the Rohingya as illegal immigrants.