In 1826, when the country was under British India rule, Muslims from Bengal were encouraged to move to the then-depopulated state of Rakhine —or Arakan — fueling ethnic tensions with local Buddhists that continue to this day. Denied citizenship by national law, the Rohingya are effectively stateless and have limited access to education, adequate health care and the right to freely practice their religion. After the country moved from dictatorship to democracy in 2011, newfound freedoms of expression gave voice to Buddhist extremists who spewed hatred against the religious minority and warned Muslims were taking over the country. The status falls short of full citizenship, and would continue to deny Rohingya the right to own land, to run for office, to form or lead political parties and to enter professional fields like law, medicine and engineering. [...] a controversial "action plan" warns they could face eventual deportation or indefinite internment. Urgent calls are made to their families demanding $2,000 or more before they can continue on their way. [...] recently, the first stop along the route was neighboring Thailand, where they were held in secret jungle. The tactics of smugglers changed in November following a crackdown by Thai authorities on human trafficking networks. When the heat turned up — not only traffickers but also politicians and police were getting arrested — brokers and agents got spooked. After weeks of inaction — and in some cases exacerbating the crisis by pushing boat people back to sea — foreign governments have in recent days started to step in.
Q&a On Origins Of Rohingya Conflict And Why It Persists
By ROBIN McDOWELL, Associated Press, San Francisco Chronicle: World
Fri, 05/22/2015 - 3:16am
BING NEWS:
- Rohingya refugees risk dangerous sea route to Indonesia in search of safety and freedom
Jannatara, 18, was six months pregnant and recently widowed when she boarded a boat from Bangladesh where she had been living in one of the sprawling camps for Rohingya refugees since fleeing ...
04/24/2024 - 1:00 pm | View Link - More
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