Long walk for survival: A tale of fleeing Rohingyas
Adil Sakhawat
Published at 10:17 PM September 02, 2017
Last updated at 11:12 PM September 02, 2017
The Dhaka Tribune came across such 1,500 people in Bichari who narrated the miseries they suffered while on their way to Bangladesh
Leaving behind most of their belongings back home, they had started the journey through the mountain range in Myanmar’s Rakhine state five to seven days back, only to avert the ongoing persecution there.
Walking even up to 100 kilometres, they finally managed to escape with their life and enter Bangladesh, taking temporary shelter in a mountainous region of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).
The Dhaka Tribune came across such 1,500 people in Bichari, a remote area in the hilly Bandarban, who narrated the miseries they suffered while on their way to Bangladesh. Bichari is also very close to the Myanmar border.
At a remote location which is a six-hour walk and around 10 kilometres from Ukhia upazila of Cox’s Bazar, thousands of people arrive every day.
They had to trek through four mountain ranges in Myanmar outside the ones in the CHT, which takes almost a week in many cases.
Abdul Alim, who carried his octogenarian mother on his back, said: “We have been walking for the last four days and my mother is too old to walk so long. So I had to carry her.”
Throughout their journey, they could not eat or drink properly, he said, adding, they had been passing the last few days either half-fed or without food on many occasions.
Then again, he was happy to be still alive.
“I am elated that at least we are not dead,” he said.
Hasina, another Rohingya, was also being carried in the same manner by her husband as she just gave birth to a child soon after entering Bandarban.
They were among the 1,500 people, including the elderly, children and women, who were found walking through the woods of Bichari towards Ukhia on Saturday.
Even some pregnant mothers and physically-challenged people were among them.
Ten months’ pregnant Ayesha said she was feeling so tired and she might start having labour pains in a few hours.
Many of them also brought along domestic animals with them.
Children became scared when this reporter tried to talk to them and take pictures.
Marium Begum, mother of a four-year-old boy, said her son was seized with panic ever since the atrocities in their locality started.
Calling Myanmarese forces Moghs, she said her son saw their homes being torched and people being tortured and killed, which left him traumatised.
Marium said she still had no idea about whether her husband was alive or not.
Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka Tribune
With the fear of being pushed back by Bangladeshi authorities on their mind, the Rohingyas had set off from six villages in Maungdaw, Rathedaung and Buthidaung townships under Rakhine State, said many of the ill-fated.
ARSA men helping exodus
Meanwhile, the reporter found several youths supporting Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) in the Bichari area.
They numbered around 25 and were mainly assisting the female Rohingyas to get to Ukhia.
They dressed up the way the ARSA members do, as shown in the videos of the insurgent group which are available online.
When asked, some of the youths admitted supporting the insurgent outfit, though many of them denied the fact primarily.
One of them, without revealing his identity, said: “Only ARSA can do something positive for the Rohingyas which may not be possible for any other organisation.”
The evidence of ARSA helping the Rohingya people enter Bangladesh was attested by many, who already reached the refugee camps in Ukhia.
Boni Adam, an elderly Rohingya man, said ARSA was fighting to ensure their rights in Myanmar.
“The ARSA leaders are also eyeing a justice system for us in the Rakhine State,” he said.
After the recent tension started on August 25, ARSA attacked at least 30 camps of Myanmar security forces.
The retaliation came following the Myanmarese forces started clearance operation from the second week of August, forcing thousands of Rohingya people to flee their homes.
http://www.dhakatribune.com/world/south-asia/2017/09/02/213067/
