By the twisted standards of Myanmar’s Rakhine state, Abdullah is one of its more fortunate Rohingya residents.
The 34-year-old is alive, his village is intact and he is able to make a living — albeit a meagre one — in his homeland as a farmer.
Abdullah’s Rohingya Muslim minority are disappearing fast from Myanmar.
Some one million of them — around two-thirds of their entire stateless community — have been forced over the border to refugee camps in Bangladesh by successive waves of persecution.
The latest has expelled some 700,000 Rohingyas since August last year, when the army launched a campaign of violence that the UN says amounted to “ethnic cleansing”.
Abdullah’s village of Shan Taung is near the temple-studded town of Mrauk U, not far from the epicentre of the most recent crackdown in northern Rakhine but partly sheltered from its worst excesses by a range of forested mountains.
He is among the 500,000 Rohingyas that the UN estimates remain in Myanmar, some confined to camps after previous rounds of violence while others are spared by wealth, luck or — like the villages in Abdullah’s area — simply by isolation from the latest military campaign.
Yet their lives are still shaped by tension and fear in a mainly-Buddhist country that has methodically stripped the Muslim minority of legal rights and security.
The status of the Rohingya in Rakhine hangs by a thread in the wake of the army crackdown, which has seen Myanmar troops and ethnic Rakhine mobs accused of burning Rohingya villages, and of raping and murdering their residents.
Shan Taung, with its 4,500-strong Rohingya population, appears peaceful.
Fishermen dry their catch in the sun, farmers bring in the rice paddy and children play at the side of the road.
But fear has sharply segregated the Rohingya Muslims and the ethnic Rakhine Buddhists living nearby.
The Rohingyas say they risk a beating — or worse — if they stray into territory the Rakhine regard as their own, while few trust the police to protect them.
It wasn’t always this way, says Abdullah, explaining he once had Rakhine friends and stayed with a Rakhine family while studying at university in the state capital, Sittwe.
“They no longer treat me like they used to,” he tells AFP. “They don’t say good things.”
Communal relations have disintegrated in recent months around Mrauk U town, where several people died recently after police opened fire on an ethnic Rakhine nationalist protest.
“We do not trust each other anymore,” a Rakhine youth told AFP, asking not to be named.
“Rakhines are also watching each other to make sure no one from the town is friends with Muslims.”
Yearning for citizenship
Around 150,000 Rohingyas are thought to still be living in northern Rakhine, spread among disparate villages spared in the violent crackdown.
But rights groups say many of those communities are hungry and scared, unable to work freely and hemmed in by hostile neighbours, as the army beefs up its bases around them.
Ye Htut, the administrator of Maungdaw, the most populous district in the north, played down strife between the communities that remained.
“Muslims still living here don’t say they are afraid,” he told reporters. “Many houses are still left.”
Further south, another 130,000 Rohingyas fester in internment camps, a grim legacy from rounds of inter-communal violence since 2012.
Another 200,000 fare only marginally better, living in their own villages but under restrictions on movement that UN spokesman Pierre Peron says “severely compromise” basic rights and access to health and education.
With tensions sky-high, Rohingyas are still leaving.
On Sunday, a boatload of Rohingyas who departed from Sittwe were spotted in Thai waters and “helped on” by the navy towards Malaysia.
Rohingyas still arrive on foot in Bangladesh seeking sanctuary after fleeing threats and hunger.
Others with enough money for bribes can also try to make their way to Myanmar’s commercial capital Yangon, joining tens of thousands of Rohingyas who already live discreetly in the country’s major urban centres.
Yet even there, existence feels parlous.
“People are afraid every step they take,” says Yangon-based Kyaw Soe Aung, secretary general of the Rohingya-focused Democracy and Human Rights Party.
“There is no security and rule of law for Rohingyas and Muslims.”
Officially the “Rohingya” do not exist in Myanmar and as a result are denied citizenship.
Instead they are branded “Bengalis”, reinforcing the narrative that they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.
Corruption and intimidation
Rohingyas seeking citizenship must agree to be classified as “Bengali” in a notorious verification process which denies them constitutional rights as a separate ethnic minority and leaves them vulnerable to expulsion.
Critics say the National Verification Card (NVC) they are pressed to sign up for is less a pathway to citizenship than a means of control.
From 2010 until the end of 2017, government statistics show only around 7,600 Rohingyas signed up and only a couple of hundred have obtained citizenship.
Ko Ko, not his real name, is one of the few Rohingyas to hold a valid ID card — sporting the term “Bengali”.
The 20-year-old says, however, that means he must regularly grease pockets and wait longer when dealing with anybody in any position of authority because he is automatically put at the bottom of the pile.
He and a friend collect data about alleged atrocities in Rakhine and also try to counter anti-Rohingya “fake news” with a website that has some 10,000 hits a week.
His father worries about his activist work and wants him to seek asylum overseas but Ko Ko refuses.
“We have to get back our citizenship,” he says.
“I will work for change. I’m doing the right thing.”
My wife and i have been excited Louis managed to finish off his inquiry via the ideas he acquired from your own weblog. It is now and again perplexing to simply choose to be giving out things that many most people could have been trying to sell. We really do understand we’ve got you to appreciate for that. All of the explanations you have made, the easy site menu, the friendships your site aid to foster – it’s mostly excellent, and it is aiding our son in addition to the family understand that concept is amusing, which is certainly extremely indispensable. Many thanks for the whole thing!
I truly wanted to construct a small comment in order to appreciate you for all of the wonderful information you are giving out here. My particularly long internet search has at the end been rewarded with sensible points to write about with my company. I would admit that we readers are really fortunate to live in a really good website with so many lovely professionals with insightful points. I feel truly grateful to have used your entire web site and look forward to many more awesome times reading here. Thank you once more for a lot of things.
Thank you so much for giving everyone remarkably remarkable possiblity to read critical reviews from here. It really is very brilliant plus stuffed with fun for me and my office co-workers to search your site nearly thrice every week to see the fresh guides you have got. And of course, I’m just certainly astounded concerning the good pointers you serve. Some 4 ideas in this post are ultimately the most beneficial I’ve ever had.
I would like to convey my gratitude for your kindness in support of folks who must have help with this question. Your personal commitment to passing the solution all-around appeared to be extremely informative and has in most cases empowered girls much like me to reach their ambitions. Your personal useful hints and tips indicates so much a person like me and even further to my fellow workers. Many thanks; from each one of us.
I simply had to thank you very much yet again. I do not know what I could possibly have sorted out in the absence of the type of tips discussed by you over my area. It was actually an absolute traumatic scenario in my circumstances, but spending time with the skilled tactic you dealt with it forced me to cry for gladness. I’m happier for your information and thus hope that you comprehend what a great job you are always doing educating men and women by way of your web blog. More than likely you’ve never encountered all of us.
I really wanted to write down a remark to be able to express gratitude to you for all of the stunning facts you are showing at this website. My extended internet look up has at the end of the day been compensated with excellent facts and strategies to share with my guests. I would assume that many of us readers are undoubtedly blessed to be in a fine place with so many special people with helpful tricks. I feel truly happy to have seen your web page and look forward to many more brilliant times reading here. Thank you once more for all the details.
I wanted to compose you this very small note to help give many thanks the moment again for all the pretty tips you’ve shared on this page. This is pretty open-handed with people like you to offer publicly precisely what some people would’ve offered for sale for an e-book to help make some cash on their own, mostly considering that you might have tried it if you ever desired. Those tricks as well worked to be the easy way to realize that some people have similar dreams really like my personal own to know the truth a great deal more in respect of this matter. I know there are thousands of more pleasurable opportunities ahead for people who find out your site.
I and my buddies came looking through the great strategies from your web page and quickly I had a horrible suspicion I never thanked the web site owner for those tips. The young men are already as a consequence very interested to study all of them and already have in fact been using these things. We appreciate you actually being so thoughtful and also for considering this form of fantastic guides most people are really desperate to discover. Our own honest apologies for not saying thanks to sooner.
I am just writing to make you know what a useful encounter our girl experienced viewing your web page. She discovered so many pieces, which included how it is like to have an ideal coaching mindset to have a number of people with ease master certain advanced matters. You truly exceeded people’s expected results. Thank you for displaying these valuable, dependable, informative and also fun thoughts on the topic to Emily.
I’m writing to let you understand what a notable discovery my girl gained browsing your web site. She noticed such a lot of details, not to mention what it is like to have an awesome giving nature to make the mediocre ones without difficulty know certain problematic things. You truly surpassed her expectations. I appreciate you for showing such informative, trustworthy, informative and even easy tips on this topic to Julie.
I must get across my affection for your generosity supporting women who absolutely need guidance on this important niche. Your real commitment to passing the solution up and down was especially helpful and have continuously helped regular people much like me to realize their targets. Your amazing invaluable guidelines denotes a lot to me and much more to my mates. Best wishes; from everyone of us.
Thanks so much for giving everyone an extraordinarily wonderful opportunity to read articles and blog posts from here. It really is so lovely and as well , full of fun for me and my office fellow workers to visit your site at minimum thrice in one week to read the fresh tips you have. Of course, I’m so at all times happy considering the powerful pointers served by you. Selected 3 ideas in this article are unequivocally the finest I’ve had.
I must show my admiration for your kindness in support of folks that absolutely need assistance with this one area. Your special dedication to passing the solution throughout turned out to be really helpful and have really enabled workers like me to get to their dreams. Your personal warm and friendly useful information signifies a great deal a person like me and even more to my office colleagues. Regards; from each one of us.
I happen to be writing to make you know of the perfect discovery my friend’s princess obtained reading your web site. She realized too many issues, which included what it is like to possess an amazing teaching mindset to make many more without problems know just exactly selected grueling issues. You actually did more than my desires. Thanks for churning out these useful, safe, explanatory and easy guidance on your topic to Julie.
I simply wanted to type a quick comment so as to thank you for the magnificent tactics you are giving here. My long internet search has now been recognized with extremely good facts and strategies to go over with my great friends. I would claim that most of us visitors are very endowed to be in a magnificent site with very many marvellous people with useful ideas. I feel very much happy to have used the website and look forward to tons of more pleasurable times reading here. Thank you once again for everything.
My spouse and i got really fortunate that Jordan could round up his investigations by way of the precious recommendations he received using your web site. It’s not at all simplistic to just always be giving for free helpful tips that many the rest could have been making money from. And we all figure out we have the blog owner to give thanks to because of that. The type of explanations you made, the straightforward web site navigation, the relationships you will make it possible to instill – it is everything terrific, and it is leading our son and us imagine that that situation is fun, and that’s truly serious. Thanks for all the pieces!
Needed to compose you the tiny remark to help say thanks the moment again for these awesome principles you have provided on this website. It is really remarkably open-handed of people like you to convey unreservedly what a number of people would have marketed as an electronic book to make some bucks for themselves, especially now that you could have tried it in case you desired. These smart ideas in addition acted like a great way to realize that some people have a similar keenness similar to mine to know the truth a whole lot more regarding this matter. I’m sure there are some more enjoyable sessions up front for many who looked over your site.
I just wanted to type a small word to be able to express gratitude to you for all the great instructions you are showing on this site. My incredibly long internet investigation has at the end been paid with useful insight to share with my family. I would repeat that many of us website visitors actually are unquestionably fortunate to be in a notable website with many awesome people with beneficial plans. I feel very grateful to have come across your webpage and look forward to many more thrilling minutes reading here. Thank you once again for everything.
I wanted to compose a quick message to thank you for these fabulous information you are showing at this site. My considerable internet investigation has at the end of the day been paid with good knowledge to share with my companions. I ‘d tell you that many of us visitors actually are really endowed to exist in a good site with very many outstanding professionals with great advice. I feel rather happy to have come across your entire website page and look forward to really more awesome minutes reading here. Thanks a lot once again for everything.
I must show my thanks to you just for rescuing me from this setting. Right after surfing around through the world wide web and getting ways that were not beneficial, I believed my life was gone. Being alive minus the solutions to the issues you’ve sorted out by way of the guide is a crucial case, and those which could have negatively affected my career if I hadn’t come across the website. Your main competence and kindness in dealing with a lot of things was helpful. I am not sure what I would have done if I hadn’t come across such a subject like this. I am able to now relish my future. Thank you so much for the high quality and sensible guide. I won’t hesitate to suggest your site to any person who needs to have guide about this matter.
My spouse and i were quite peaceful that Jordan could finish up his survey through the precious recommendations he gained from your web pages. It’s not at all simplistic just to continually be giving freely guidance the rest might have been trying to sell. We really remember we have you to thank because of that. The specific illustrations you have made, the straightforward site menu, the relationships your site make it possible to create – it is everything astounding, and it’s facilitating our son and our family feel that the matter is thrilling, and that is incredibly essential. Thanks for all!
Thanks a lot for providing individuals with an extremely special possiblity to check tips from this web site. It is often so pleasurable and jam-packed with fun for me and my office peers to search your website minimum 3 times in a week to find out the fresh tips you have got. And definitely, I’m just certainly motivated for the fantastic opinions served by you. Selected 1 facts in this posting are rather the most suitable we’ve ever had.
I needed to post you this little word just to give many thanks again regarding the gorgeous suggestions you’ve featured on this page. It was pretty open-handed with you to present openly all numerous people could have distributed as an e-book to help with making some money on their own, and in particular considering the fact that you might well have done it if you considered necessary. These strategies as well worked like a great way to know that other individuals have the same passion just like my personal own to realize good deal more related to this matter. I know there are some more fun periods in the future for people who look into your blog.
Thank you so much for providing individuals with a very memorable opportunity to read from this web site. It can be very amazing and as well , full of a great time for me and my office acquaintances to visit the blog particularly three times every week to find out the latest guides you will have. Of course, I’m always happy with the excellent advice you serve. Certain 1 tips on this page are honestly the most impressive we have all ever had.
I must show my respect for your kind-heartedness in support of men and women that require help on this important area. Your personal commitment to passing the message all through turned out to be pretty advantageous and have always permitted women like me to achieve their goals. Your personal important advice means much to me and much more to my office workers. Best wishes; from all of us.
I am also commenting to let you understand what a magnificent experience my cousin’s girl gained viewing your site. She mastered many issues, including what it’s like to have an excellent coaching style to have the others easily know precisely several hard to do things. You really exceeded visitors’ expectations. Thank you for presenting these useful, healthy, explanatory and fun tips about this topic to Janet.
I must express appreciation to you just for rescuing me from this circumstance. Because of surfing throughout the search engines and meeting suggestions which are not beneficial, I figured my life was gone. Being alive without the presence of strategies to the problems you’ve sorted out as a result of your good article is a serious case, as well as ones which could have adversely damaged my career if I had not discovered your blog. Your own personal competence and kindness in controlling almost everything was valuable. I am not sure what I would have done if I had not encountered such a point like this. I’m able to at this moment relish my future. Thanks so much for the skilled and effective help. I won’t be reluctant to refer your site to anybody who should have guidance on this subject.
I in addition to my buddies have already been examining the good techniques on your website while then got an awful suspicion I had not thanked the blog owner for those tips. Those men became as a consequence happy to read them and have in effect very much been having fun with them. Thank you for actually being well helpful and then for making a decision on this form of helpful themes millions of individuals are really needing to learn about. My very own sincere regret for not saying thanks to earlier.
I actually wanted to jot down a brief note to appreciate you for these lovely ideas you are writing on this site. My extensive internet search has at the end of the day been paid with reliable content to talk about with my contacts. I would say that most of us website visitors are very much lucky to live in a magnificent network with so many marvellous professionals with helpful opinions. I feel somewhat fortunate to have come across your website and look forward to many more awesome moments reading here. Thank you again for all the details.
Needed to send you the very small observation to finally thank you so much once again on your pretty knowledge you’ve documented in this article. It is really shockingly open-handed of people like you to allow openly all most of us could possibly have sold for an ebook to help make some cash for their own end, most importantly considering the fact that you could have done it in case you wanted. Those principles also acted to become great way to be sure that other individuals have similar keenness really like my very own to know the truth a lot more regarding this condition. I believe there are several more fun sessions in the future for individuals who look over your blog post.
I just wanted to develop a simple message in order to say thanks to you for the magnificent ways you are posting at this site. My considerable internet search has finally been rewarded with really good information to exchange with my visitors. I ‘d declare that most of us website visitors are undeniably blessed to live in a fabulous place with so many lovely individuals with good principles. I feel extremely happy to have seen your entire web site and look forward to really more entertaining moments reading here. Thanks a lot once more for everything.
My wife and i have been so peaceful that Ervin managed to conclude his preliminary research with the ideas he grabbed when using the web site. It is now and again perplexing to just find yourself giving away guides which often others have been trying to sell. We really fully understand we need the website owner to appreciate because of that. Most of the illustrations you made, the straightforward web site menu, the relationships your site assist to foster – it’s everything fabulous, and it’s really helping our son and the family understand this issue is entertaining, and that is exceedingly pressing. Thank you for all!
I and also my friends happened to be checking out the nice tactics on the website then quickly developed a horrible suspicion I had not thanked you for those tips. These ladies are already consequently passionate to study them and have very much been having fun with them. Appreciation for being well thoughtful and for deciding on varieties of important themes most people are really desperate to know about. My personal honest regret for not expressing appreciation to earlier.
I definitely wanted to write down a small note in order to say thanks to you for all of the nice items you are giving out at this site. My rather long internet research has now been recognized with sensible knowledge to exchange with my family. I ‘d claim that most of us site visitors are unquestionably endowed to be in a magnificent site with many perfect professionals with interesting opinions. I feel somewhat blessed to have used your entire website and look forward to really more enjoyable minutes reading here. Thanks once again for a lot of things.
I wish to show my admiration for your generosity in support of those who require assistance with in this content. Your real commitment to passing the solution all through appears to be wonderfully helpful and has frequently helped people much like me to realize their aims. Your own helpful help and advice entails a whole lot a person like me and still more to my peers. Warm regards; from all of us.
Thanks so much for giving everyone an extraordinarily brilliant chance to read articles and blog posts from here. It really is so kind plus packed with fun for me personally and my office peers to visit your website more than 3 times in a week to read through the new issues you will have. And indeed, I’m at all times pleased concerning the incredible techniques served by you. Some 2 tips in this article are certainly the most impressive we’ve ever had.
I needed to draft you a very small word to give many thanks again about the wonderful pointers you’ve shared above. It is quite extremely open-handed of you to present publicly all that a lot of people would’ve sold for an ebook to help with making some profit on their own, notably considering the fact that you could possibly have done it in the event you desired. The concepts as well served as the fantastic way to be certain that many people have the same passion similar to my own to see a lot more with respect to this condition. I believe there are some more enjoyable situations up front for many who look into your site.
I enjoy you because of all of your efforts on this website. My niece loves getting into investigations and it is obvious why. We all hear all relating to the dynamic manner you render useful techniques through this web site and foster response from the others on that area of interest while my daughter has always been starting to learn a lot of things. Have fun with the remaining portion of the year. You’re the one doing a good job.
Thanks for all of the work on this blog. Debby takes pleasure in setting aside time for research and it’s simple to grasp why. Most of us notice all relating to the powerful ways you present powerful strategies by means of the blog and therefore strongly encourage response from other people on the area then our favorite daughter is certainly studying a great deal. Enjoy the remaining portion of the year. You are carrying out a first class job.
I wanted to write you the little bit of note so as to thank you very much over again about the lovely information you have documented here. This has been simply unbelievably generous with people like you to provide without restraint all a few people might have offered for sale as an electronic book to earn some dough on their own, even more so considering that you could have done it if you ever decided. These advice likewise served to become great way to be aware that some people have the identical dreams much like my own to see good deal more concerning this problem. I am sure there are millions of more pleasant opportunities in the future for many who check out your blog post.
I simply had to appreciate you once again. I do not know the things I could possibly have made to happen without the points provided by you concerning this field. It previously was a hard condition in my circumstances, but understanding the very professional technique you resolved the issue made me to weep with gladness. I’m just grateful for your service and trust you recognize what an amazing job your are accomplishing training the mediocre ones through the use of a web site. I’m certain you’ve never met any of us.
I actually wanted to send a quick note to be able to thank you for these magnificent tips and hints you are giving out here. My considerable internet investigation has at the end been paid with extremely good details to write about with my partners. I would suppose that most of us website visitors are definitely blessed to exist in a fine site with so many outstanding professionals with great tips and hints. I feel quite fortunate to have seen the site and look forward to some more amazing moments reading here. Thanks again for a lot of things.
I want to voice my passion for your kindness supporting visitors who must have help with this important subject matter. Your special commitment to getting the message across was incredibly important and has permitted most people like me to attain their goals. Your new useful guideline denotes a great deal to me and extremely more to my peers. Regards; from all of us.
I just wanted to develop a brief message to be able to thank you for all the wonderful items you are sharing on this site. My particularly long internet look up has at the end of the day been honored with extremely good knowledge to exchange with my co-workers. I would assume that most of us site visitors actually are undoubtedly lucky to exist in a magnificent site with many outstanding people with insightful tips. I feel truly blessed to have seen your website page and look forward to tons of more enjoyable times reading here. Thank you once more for all the details.
My husband and i were very ecstatic Peter could conclude his basic research with the precious recommendations he got through your web page. It is now and again perplexing just to continually be giving for free tips which usually a number of people have been selling. And we all recognize we have got the writer to appreciate because of that. The main illustrations you have made, the straightforward website navigation, the friendships you will give support to create – it’s mostly wonderful, and it’s facilitating our son in addition to our family feel that this issue is excellent, and that is truly pressing. Thank you for the whole thing!
I wish to show some appreciation to this writer for rescuing me from this type of trouble. Because of exploring throughout the search engines and meeting concepts that were not helpful, I thought my entire life was over. Existing without the approaches to the difficulties you have solved through your main post is a critical case, as well as those which could have in a wrong way affected my entire career if I had not come across your web site. Your good expertise and kindness in dealing with almost everything was vital. I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t discovered such a thing like this. I am able to at this point look forward to my future. Thanks so much for your high quality and results-oriented guide. I will not hesitate to suggest your web site to any individual who would need guidelines on this topic.
My husband and i have been satisfied Jordan could finish off his analysis using the ideas he got in your site. It’s not at all simplistic to simply continually be releasing tactics that most people might have been selling. We really figure out we have got the writer to thank because of that. The most important illustrations you made, the easy web site menu, the relationships you will help promote – it is all astonishing, and it is facilitating our son and us know that that subject is awesome, which is pretty indispensable. Many thanks for the whole lot!