‘This is about humanity’

Thousands of Rohingya refugees are stranded on no-man’s land on the border, after violence once again erupted in Myanmar on Friday. The refugees, mostly women and children who are not being allowed to enter the country by the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB), are stuck on the zero line, the demarcation between the two countries on the other side of a small canal lying on the international border in Ghumdum, Bandarban. Villagers in Tumbru and Ghumdum, who themselves live a hand to mouth existence have been extending a helping hand, bringing them water, food and polythene bags to build makeshift huts with. An elderly Rohingya refugee, Sadek, said: “Since we arrived on Friday, the locals brought us food, water and polythene bags to make tents. The villagers have been very kind.” There are about 500 refugees living next to Tumbru Government Primary School. Locals there have let them come take water from their tubewells. Even a BGB member was seen helping an injured boy cross the Tumbru canal to get some water. Seeking anonymity, he told the Dhaka Tribune: “This is about humanity. You cannot turn your back on people who lost all their possessions overnight and are forced to live out in the open like this.” A new mother with her 10-day old baby, her mother and grandmother, who fled the violence in Maungdaw township in Rakhine State, have been living in polythene huts since Friday. Suraiya said: “Bangladeshis have been giving us food and bags to make tents with since we arrived on Friday. Without their help we would be living out in the open.” The latest spate of violence comes after years of conflict between Yangon and the Rohingya Muslims, who have been denied citizenship. The UN has called the Rohingya people one of the most persecuted people in the world. Their houses were bombarded and torched by the Myanmar army on Friday in what they called the fight against insurgency. This has triggered a fresh exodus of refugees into Bangladesh. No international aid agency could be reached for comments on their aid distribution plan for the Rohingya refugees. On Saturday, the Bangladesh authorities said they will no longer allow any more Rohingyas to enter the country, since it already hosts 400,0000 of them.