As a member of the Christian Rohingya community in the refugee camps of Bangladesh, I can say without fear of contradiction that we have been subject to mistreatment as a group. However, I had to wait until this year to come across the strangest allegation against us and to witness its use as another stick to beat us with. Before I describe the allegation, here is a brief background of what it is like to be a Christian in the camps these days.
Since before 2017, when the Rohingya world turned upside down, Christian Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh have had to face slanderous allegations, physical violence, discrimination, the destruction of our place of worship, abduction, wrongful arrest, and social ostracism. These are well documented and have been recognized and registered by various authorities.
As part of our appeal for justice, we have consistently and vociferously pointed to one group, the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, as the main instigators of chaos and deadly disturbances. As far as we are concerned, they are the ones who have targeted us and put out various falsehoods about us.
According to ARSA, we Christians are hell-bent on converting muslims. Apparently, we receive large sums of money from shadowy missionary organizations to do this. After we have performed these conversions, we are flown out to some first-world economy to live a life of luxury. These are the fantastical tales ARSA spins about us. Without furnishing any evidence, they churn out these slanderous lies year after year, and they conclude that we represent an even greater existential threat to the Rohingya than the Burmese military.
And, needless to say, ARSA have even said, in an egregious example of the pot calling the kettle black, that we are working for the Myanmar military. Five hundred impoverished Christian families, comprising around 1,500 individuals, have, in ARSA's twisted view, somehow become a threat to the 1.2 million Rohingya in the camps.
If that is not sufficiently absurd, then consider the following: One of our Christian brethren, David Nazir, has recently been accused in a murder case jointly with the Commander in Chief of ARSA, Abu Amar Jununi Ataullah. David and Ataullah are, according to the charge sheet, partners in crime. More than that, David tops the numbered list of the accused, beating Ataullah by no less than two places.
Our David, who hails from a small Christian community in Buthidaung, is apparently an ARSA member deserving a higher ranking than the commander-in-chief of ARSA himself? Has ARSA become ecumenical in their nefarious deeds involving Christians within their ranks? Every aspect of this malicious and false charge against David and association with ARSA would be laughable in the extreme were it not for the fact that David has been thrown in jail.
This is no joke for David or his young family, including a three-month-old baby.
The only facts that stand up in this case are these: On December 10 David was sat watching the Argentina vsNetherlands game of the Fifa World Cup in Thaing Khali (Camp 13). The Armed Police Battalion (APBn) arrived, took him away, and threw him in jail.
Sitting in our shelter in the confines of the Transit Centre, we hear and read endless complaints against the camp authorities. There is no Rohingya that hasn't experienced unnecessary harassment. False accusations against Rohingya is the weapon of choice and is used indiscriminately to harass, silence, and punish refugees.
If you add up all the goings-on in the camps, has there ever been a less effective camp management system anywhere? Can anyone answer that question -- whether affirmatively or negatively? The sad reality is that no one can. That is because there are no verifiable statistics on its performance or even qualitative assessment of its integrity with the public (that is to say, refugees). There is only our anecdotal evidence, and some video and audio evidence.
And what are we to do with this evidence? There is no credible complaint procedure either through the camp authorities or through an independent body. In fact, a complaint is unthinkable and tantamount to asking for a world of trouble.
How are the camp authorities to deal with misconduct in their service without information about their actions and operations from those who are affected? How are they to evaluate and develop their policies, procedures, and instructions and provide ongoing training for the various forces they deploy without any kind of monitoring?
There is no scrutiny or oversight of their work. Why would there be? The reality and answer to all the questions above is that the authorities are not interested in policing or management of refugees by consultation and consent. There is no culture that promotes transparency and evaluation. That is not their remit.
It is difficult to understand what is happening to us. Only a year ago there were no ARSA operatives in Bangladesh. Now they are popping up everywhere according to the camp authorities. Is this a tacit acceptance of what we Christian Rohingya have been saying all these years? Perhaps it is. The imprisonment of David on false charges suggests that ARSA have now been transformed into a big stick, the size of Goliath, in the hands of the camp authorities. This is particularly harmful because this approach is creating a sense of fear and distrust in our community.
And I mean all of us refugees -- regardless of religion.
Peter Saiful is a member of the Christian Rohingya community, Transit Centre, Kutupalong Refugee Camp.
