The voice of Rohingya

I am Rohingya. I came into the existence from forefathers of different origins over hundreds of years ago in a land called Arakan where I lived side by side with other communities and ruled Arakan together with respect and harmony.

I am Rohingya. I became emotional when my fellow Arakanese Kings kept Mus...lim titles from Solaiman Shah (1430-34 AD) to Salim Shah II (1622-37) in respects to my friendship and learnt Islamic teachings in honours to my religion.

I am Rohingya. I was represented in Burmese Parliaments in different periods by my proud children like of Sultan Ahmed, Abdul Gaffar, Sultan Mahmud, Abul Hussain, Dr. abdul Rahim and many more.
I am Rohingya. I was suppressed in 1949 by Kyaw Oo, a Burma Territorial Force (BTF) commissioner along with Rakhine extremists killing and burning thousands of my children and forcing over 50,000 to leave my ancestor home.

I am Rohingya. I was struck again with Exodus of 1978 led by the dictator, Ne Win causing more than 300,000 of my children took shelters in Bangladesh. Under the dictator, I was massacred and made exodus numerous times with various grassroot operations.
I am Rohingya. I was forced to fall into a new discriminatory Citizenship Law of 1982 which made me statelessness and denied my fundamental rights.

I am Rohingya. Now I am forced doing labour without payment which leads my family starved.
I am Rohingya. Now I am forced to evict from my home, confiscate my land and relocate my village to make ways for upbringing Rakhines and Burmans families to newly set up "Model Villages".
I am Rohingya. Now I am forced to pay arbitrary taxes. I am tax-capped for everything I have from roof tax, house building tax, repair tax, security tax, domestic livestock tax, tree tax, vegetable tax, animal or bird tax, fishing tax to travel permit.

I am Rohingya. Now I am forced to behave like a bird in a cage and divided me from my children. I am not allowed to travel from one town to another without permit and payment.

I am Rohingya. Now I am forced not to seek proper education. I have been provided with the lowest standards, number of schools and facilities. I have been very restricted to pursue professional courses such as Medicine, Engineering, Law, Computer Sciences and so on.

I am Rohingya. Now I am forced to sit in a barrier between God (Allah). My freedom of religious is taken away.

I am Rohingya. Now I am forced to accept the restrictions on marriage. The age of my marriage is fixed, the consents are needed from several authorities, the processing time is lengthened, the bribe still remains, I am needed with my bride to present in front of authorities before marriage and I am not allowed to follow my own culture.

I am Rohingya. Now I am forced to see my daughters being harassed and raped by authorizes in front of my eyes.

I am Rohingya. Now I am forced to see my sons and daughters being tortured, murdered, treated inhumanely and sentenced long-terms without offences and rules of law.

I am Rohingya. Now I am forced to listen calling me Bengali Kala (a derogatory racial slur), calling me Immigrants despite the evidences of my existence over hundreds of years.

I am Rohingya. I am delighted seeing my country's reforms towards Democracy, yet I am still suffering the way I used to.

I am Rohingya. I am delighted seeing my country's national reconciliation processes, yet I am still neglected to be part of it.
I am Rohingya. I am delighted hearing the commitment to bring refugees back home from different parts of neighbouring countries, yet I am still neglected and suffering deeply in Bangladesh refugee camps and around the world.

Despite the sufferings, my heart still remains fresh and pure, my spirit still remains high, my patience still remains competent; and my hope of returning and living peacefully still remains firm.
Because I am Rohingya.

Despite the various organized operations and campaigns to nullify my identity, to tarnish my name and to erase my history of existence, I am and I will remain as clean as ever.
Because I am Rohingya