04/10/2024
Voice for Refugees and Displaced hears the stories of refugees. By amplifying their voices, we want to tell the horrific experiences of refugees to the world. Following this, we interviewed Ro Mayyu Islam, a refugee from the Rohingya community. He has also worked as a journalist and a human rights activist. Recently, Voice for Refugees and Displaced invited him to participate in an interview and share his experience with us.
Voice for Refugees and Displaced (VRD): Hello. Nice to meet you.
Ro Mayyu Islam: Nice to meet you, too.
VRD: Can you describe your life in Myanmar before you had to flee? What was your daily life like?
Ro Mayyu Islam: I was a student in Myanmar, attending a school where racism and discrimination were prevalent. My father was a businessman, farmer, and politician who worked tirelessly for the sake of our community. We lived in constant fear, facing daily violence and being denied our basic human rights.
VRD: What kind of persecution did you or your family face in Myanmar? How did it affect your daily life and your decision to leave?
Ro Mayyu Islam: When I was in 7th grade, I was forcibly suspended from school during the admission process because I had identified my ethnicity as Rohingya on the form. Our class teacher instructed us to write “Bengali,” but I wrote “Rohingya” instead. I also helped some of my friends fill out their forms, writing “Rohingya” for them as well. A Rakhine student noticed this and reported it to the teacher.
She called me to the principal’s office and asked why I wrote “Rohingya.” I replied, “I am not Bengali; how can I write that?” I told her that I had once seen her as a role model, but now I could not believe that she would act in such a way. In response, she threw her shoe at me and yelled, “Who are you to write this? Call your father right now!” I called my father, and without listening to me, he slapped me, thinking I had done something wrong. I pleaded with him to listen to my side of the story, and eventually I explained that I had written “Rohingya” instead of “Bengali.”
My father responded, “I am not educated, nor is my wife. My son learned everything from you, his teachers. If he wrote ‘Rohingya,’ it is because you taught him the truth about who he is and where he comes from.”
After a long discussion with the principal and the teacher, my family was forced to donate approximately 700 chairs to the school as a settlement. After that, I was allowed to return to class. However, a month later, in September 2017, the Myanmar military arrested my father and searched for me. Fortunately, they didn’t find me because I was hiding at my aunt’s house. My father was eventually released after paying a fine of around 3 million kyats, but the military gave him an ultimatum to hand me over within 24 hours, accusing him of supporting “terrorists.” Fearing for my life, my family fled to another village under the cover of night, and I eventually made it to Bangladesh with my mother and siblings.
VRD: Can you recount your journey from Myanmar to Bangladesh? What challenges did you face during the journey?
Ro Mayyu Islam: I had never seen hills or mountains before in my life. After the persecution began, it took us about 11 days of walking, from morning until night, to reach Bangladesh. In our group, more than 5,000 people made the journey. Along the way, nearly 100 people were killed by the Myanmar military and Chakma forces. We had no food, clean water, or medicine, and many people were injured. Despite these hardships, we eventually made it to Bangladesh after 11 days.
VRD:How did you feel when you first arrived in Bangladesh? What were your initial impressions of the refugee camps?
Ro Mayyu Islam: When we arrived in Bangladesh, I was both surprised and overwhelmed. I was the primary caregiver for my family, which included my elder sister, two younger sisters, and a brother. My elder brother is handicapped. We didn’t know anything about the refugee camps or life in Bangladesh. If I remember correctly, we arrived on October 17 and were placed in Camp 18. It took us more than a week to build a shelter. I worked as a clerk for a Majee (camp leader) to help support my family. Although we had arrived safely, I was constantly worried about my father, who had stayed behind.
For the first two days, we had no food, and we struggled to adjust. My mother was seriously injured and had a chronic illness that required medication, but we couldn’t access treatment right away. After a month, my father finally arrived, and we faced the challenge of navigating the camp and communicating with NGOs and shopkeepers. These were my first impressions of life in the camp.
VRD: What are the living conditions like in the refugee camp? What challenges do you face in terms of shelter, food, and healthcare?
Ro Mayyu Islam: We are grateful for the opportunity to have shelter in the camp, but we face many challenges. One of the biggest issues is transportation—imagine not being able to transport a sick patient because vehicles like autos or CNGs (three-wheelers) are not allowed. While ambulances are sometimes available, they aren’t enough for everyone. In terms of food, the World Food Programme (WFP) provides us with monthly rations, but rice and beans are not enough to sustain us. We need fish, vegetables, and other foods, but most people here are uneducated and don’t have jobs, so it’s hard to earn extra money for food.
Healthcare is another challenge. While we have access to basic medical treatment, it could be improved with more active involvement from healthcare workers.
VRD: Are there opportunities for education or employment in the camp? If so, what are they like?
Ro Mayyu Islam: When I fled to Bangladesh, I was determined to pursue higher education. I had been in 7th grade in Myanmar, but I found there were no opportunities for higher education here. In 2018, some Rohingya senior teachers took the initiative to establish New Moon Community High School, the first high school in the camp. I continued my studies there and graduated, but despite applying to many universities, I was unable to pursue higher education due to restrictions on Rohingya refugees. These barriers include the lack of educational opportunities and the restriction of movement.
In response to these challenges, I and a group of fellow advocates have been working with international communities, stakeholders, and institutions to push for access to higher education.
I said, “As a Rohingya refugee, I am willing to make a profound sacrifice by offering one of my kidneys. Recognizing that I can sustain life with a single kidney, but I cannot uplift my community without access to higher education.” I am currently pursuing a BA in Political Science and Public Administration online.
I have worked as a teacher at a community-based school, teaching mathematics. I also work as a human rights activist, specifically advocating for educational opportunities.
VRD: How have you adapted to life in the refugee camp? Do you have a support network within the camp?
Ro Mayyu Islam: Yes, I have a support network within the camp. I have worked with several Rohingya-led organizations, including Arakanese Hand, Rohingya Genocide Archives, and the Rohingya Students Network.
VRD:What are your hopes and dreams for the future? Do you have any plans to return to Myanmar or resettle elsewhere?
Ro Mayyu Islam: When I was in Myanmar, my father and I both dreamed of studying law and political science to help bring about change. Unfortunately, as a refugee, this dream seems to be moving further out of reach each day. Insha Allah, I will continue to pursue this dream, no matter the situation.
Resettlement is not our solution. Repatriation is. But with each passing day, it feels farther away. However, we are determined that one day we will return to Arakan with dignity, rights, and peace.
VRD: Is there anything you want to tell the people of Bangladesh and the world? Or, want to send a message to Bangladesh and the world?
Ro Mayyu Islam: Before our religion and ethnicity, our identity is that we are also human beings. We deserve the same rights, peace, and freedom as anyone else. If my grandfather was born in Myanmar and we have proof of our Rohingya heritage, how can we not be citizens of Myanmar? We have all the evidence to prove our ties to Myanmar. So, the world must recognize our plight and take action to ensure that our rights are restored and protected.
VRD: Thank you for your time.
Ro Mayyu Islam: Thank you too
