South Asians for Human Rights

Promoting Democracy, Upholding Human Rights

Starting late August 2017, thousands of Rohingya refugees made the arduous trek across the border from Rakhine state to Bangladesh. Well over 700,000 refugees fled a brutal programme of ethnic cleansing lead by the Myanmar military, in response to an attack by Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army. In Bangladesh, local government and international aid organisation have scrambled to offer support in the form of food, healthcare and temporary housing.

In December 2017, South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR) sent a team on a fact finding mission to assess the situation at the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox Bazar, Bangladesh. Speaking to refugees and a variety of state and non-state actors, SAHR unravelled some of the critical issues facing displaced refugees, the local population, aid workers, and government officials. Many things were lacking such as adequate supplies, access to education and mental and physical healthcare. The stability of the camps were also disrupted with issues such as human trafficking and Islamic radicalisation. Poor sanitation and spread of illness were also of concern.

The full text of the report can be accessed here.