Rohingya Community Ireland - RCI 3.55

On April 29, 2009, the first group of Rohingya arrived in Ireland under Refugee Resettlement Programme coordinated by the government of Ireland and UNHCR.

The experiences in Kutupalong and Nayapara refugee camps were comparably similar to those of Burma under the former military regime, whose ‘Operation Clean Nation’ in 1991/2 forced more than 250,000 Rohingya flee to Bangladesh where the community continue to live in limbo without the prospects of returning home or building their lives.

A total of 78 Rohingyas found their new home in Ireland after most of them spending 17 years of their lives in the Bangladesh refugee camps under dire conditions with extremely limited access to food, water, health, education, sanitation, movement and work.

The new home in Ireland provides the chances to rebuild the lives and walk the healthy environment with rights and opportunities in abundance.

While the persecuted minority continue to suffer severe forms of crimes against humanity in the country of origin - Burma, the inclusive Irish Society sends an important message of integration as “richness of diversity” and freedom of rights as “core values”.

The community in Ireland now enjoy the freedom and the human rights that Burma has denied and stripped of.

Boys and girls, young and old can dream big and live the dream without fear, thank to the government of Ireland, St. Catherine’s Community Services Centre, Carlow County Council, Carlow Regional Youth Service, Carlow Volunteer Centre, Carlow Integration Forum, Garda Sióchána, schools an colleges, UNHCR, Burma Action Ireland and many more.

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Rohingya are a Muslim ethnic minority originally from Arakan State in the western part of Burma (currently known as Myanmar). Historically, Rohingya have been natives of Arakanese kingdoms for many centuries along with other sister ethnic groups, and became a part of Konbaung Dynasty of Burma after King Bodawpaya invaded and occupied on 28th December 1784 AD, and later became part of British India in 1824 until Burma got Independence in January 4, 1948.

Rohingya lived peacefully, fought bravely for Independence and represented Burma proudly. Rohingya have 33 members of parliament throughout the history from Lady Daw Aye Nyint in 1951 (one of the first two women parliamentarians in Burmese history), Mr Sultan Ahmed in 1961 (the minister of Education and Health) to current four MPs. Rohingya Language programme was broadcasted on Burmese Broadcasting Service in 1961 as part of Burmese Cultural programme. First and second prime ministers, U Nu and U Ba Shwe has declared Rohingya as one of Burmese ethnic groups and have equal rights.

After Dictator Ne Win took power in 1963, strings of campaigns and operations were targeted towards Rohingya killing and forcing thousands of Rohingya to neighbouring Bangaldesh in 1967 Ngazink Operation and 1978 Ngamin Operation as well as making southern Arakan Rohingya free zone. He also ordered to destroy and erase all Rohingya historical monuments, such as Sandkkhan and Musa mosques built during Arakanese kingdoms, implemented 1982 Citizenship Law which has taken away all rights that Rohingya had as native and citizen of Burma, making Rohingya into statelessness.

The law has caused violated numerous human rights- restriction of movement, restriction of religious freedom, restriction on marriage, restriction on education, restriction on medical care, restriction on public service, arbitrary arrest and taxation, land confiscation, rape, two-child policy and many more.

The law also makes Rohingya vulnerable to serious attacks from Rakhine ultranational, Government and extremist groups as witnessed in 1992 (Clean Nation Operation against Rohingya) and ongoing Rohingya ethnic cleansing programme started on 8th June 2012.

United Nations has described Rohingya as one of the world’s most persecuted people. Rohingya have been scattered across the globe due to the persecution and discrimination in the native land. The lives of majority of Rohingya exiled in refugee camps found especially in Bangladesh are no difference than the lives in Burma where restrictions and violation human rights continue.