Rohingya document their lives

In March of 2020, as the Covid-19 pandemic spread throughout the world, the forecasts were dire for the Rohingya living in the refugee camps of Bangladesh. The camps are congested places with a very high population density and rudimentary sanitation. Access to water is challenging in many of the camps. The preparedness of the entire Cox’s Bazar region of Bangladesh, where the camps are situated, was a source of concern. Compounding this, the refugees did not have access to the internet. Bangladesh had restricted their access to 3G/4G internet services.

This exceptionally worrying set of circumstances provided the impetus for holding the Rohingya Photography Competition. The camps became out of bounds for journalists and aid workers in the strict lockdown that ensued. Documentation of the daily challenges of existence within the refugee camps fell to the Rohingya themselves.

The competition had two simple and broad themes - “Response to Covid-19” and “Rohingya Life.”

Who are the Rohingya refugees?
Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh come from Rakhine State in Myanmar. Over the last four decades, they have been effectively rendered stateless and subject to persistent human rights violations, and mass expulsions from the country. In 2019, a case was filed before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) alleging that Myanmar’s atrocities against the Rohingya in Rakhine State violate various provisions of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

Why are they in Bangladesh?
In August 2017, more than 740,000 Rohingya suffered extreme violence at the hands of the Myanmar military and fled to neighbouring Bangladesh. There have been periodic episodes of catastrophic violence resulting in the exodus of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya. Some of the Rohingya have been refugees multiple times

What hope is there for the Rohingya to return to Myanmar?
The bulk of the Rohingya in Bangladesh were made refugees in 2017. They escaped murder and mayhem and the burning of their villages by the Myanmar military. Thousands lost their lives in August and September 2017. Refugees believe that for any repatriation to work and be sustainable, their safety has to be guaranteed and rights, including citizenship rights, need to be restored. The Myanmar military coup of 1 February 2021 presents both challenges and opportunities for the Rohingya.