Myanmar's Rohingya refugees say they want to go back, five years after exodus

Record ID: 1686002

  • Title: Myanmar's Rohingya refugees say they want to go back, five years after exodus
  • Date: 24th August 2022
  • Summary: KUTUPALONG, COX'S BAZAR, BANGLADESH (AUGUST 24, 2022) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF KUTUPALONG REFUGEE CAMP IN COX’S BAZAR REFUGEE WOMEN WALKING BESIDE BARBED WIRE IN THE CAMP PEOPLE WALKING IN THE CAMP VARIOUS OF BARBED WIRE IN THE CAMPS SO THAT THE REFUGEES CAN NOT EXIT VARIOUS OF REFUGEES WALKING IN THE CAMP VOLUNTEERS HELPING REFUGEE FAMILIES REFUEL GAS CYLINDERS FAMILIES UNDER UMBRELLAS NEAR SUPPORT CENTRE REFUGEES AT A HOME (SOUNDBITE) (Rohingya) A LEADER OF THE ROHINGYA REFUGEE COMMUNITY, MOHAMMAD JOBAER, SAYING: "In 2017 they (Myanmar) pushed us in Bangladesh and now it is five years, so now we don’t want to stay here don’t want refugee life. Now we are ready to go back to our country with dignified and justified repatriation. One more demand and that they must accept us as Rohingya community which they don’t recognise. They must declare us as Rohingya community to the whole world before we go back." ROHINGYA MAN LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (Rohingya) A LEADER OF THE ROHINGYA REFUGEE COMMUNITY, MOHAMMAD JOBAER, SAYING: "They must not treat us as bad men or terrorists, which they do. They must give us safe zone for our free movement." VARIOUS OF CHILDREN PLAYING REFUGEE FAMILY IN A CAMP (SOUNDBITE) (Rohingya) REFUGEE, MAJUMA KHATOON, SAYING: "It's been five years since we came here (Bangladesh). We don’t want to stay in the camps as refugees. Now we want to go back to Burma (Myanmar). If we go, we want the security for our life and wealth there, we must get the guarantee." VARIOUS OF MAN CALLING OTHERS TO JOIN PRAYER SESSION VARIOUS OF PEOPLE CARRYING PARCELS OF HUMANITARIAN AID
  • Embargoed: 7th September 2022 18:24
  • Keywords: Bangladesh Myanmar Rohingya refugees UNHCR camp refugees
  • Location: KUTUPALONG, COX'S BAZAR, BANGLADESH
  • City: KUTUPALONG, COX'S BAZAR, BANGLADESH
  • Country: Bangladesh
  • Topics: Asia / Pacific,Asylum/Immigration/Refugees,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA001044524082022RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Thursday (August 25) marks five years since the exodus of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar.
    More than a million Rohingya are living in squalid camps in southern Bangladesh comprising the world's largest refugee settlement, with little prospect of returning to Myanmar, where they are mostly denied citizenship and other rights.
    Refugees at the Kutupalong camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, said on Wednesday (August 24) they were ready to return home.
    "Now we want to go back to Burma (Myanmar). If we go, we want the security for our life and wealth there, we must get the guarantee," said refugee Majuma Khatoon.
    "We are ready to go back to our country with dignified and justified repatriation," said Mohammad Jobaer, a leader of the Rohingya refugee community.
    The Rohingya say they want guarantees of their safety and to be recognized as citizens before returning.
    The United Nations says conditions are not yet right for return.
    The vast majority fled to neighbouring Bangladesh during a military crackdown in 2017 that the United Nations has said was carried out with genocidal intent.
    Myanmar denies genocide, saying it was waging a legitimate campaign against insurgents who attacked police posts.
    Myanmar is facing charges of genocide at the International Court of Justice in the Hague over the violence.
    (Production: Rafiqur Rahman, Natasa Bansagi)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2022. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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