'We are citizens of Myanmar; they must accept it'

The Daily Star
Star Digital Report
Fri Aug 25, 2023

 On Rohingya Genocide Remembrance Day, refugees in Cox's Bazar demand a safe return to Myanmar.

Ignoring the rain, the Rohingyas held the 'Hope is Home' campaign in the Kutupalong camp

Today marks 6 years of the Rohingya repression in Myanmar's Rakhine. Rohingyas have been observing the day as Rohingya Genocide Day, calling it Black Day. The Rohingyas held the 'Hope is Home' campaign at the Kutupalong Rohingya camp in Ukhia ignoring the rain around 10 am.

 

Thousands of Rohingyas raised their voice in support of their return to their homeland in Myanmar during a demonstration in Cox's Bazar on the occasion of Rohingya Genocide Remembrance Day.

 

Despite the heavy rain, they gathered at a field in Charmore area in Lambasia camp-1 east in the district's Ukhiya upazila this morning.

Photo: Md Rajib Raihan/Star

 

They prayed and cried for their safe return to the land that has the graves of their ancestors, reports our staff correspondent.

Photo: Md Rajib Raihan/Star

Rohingyas across the world observe Rohingya Genocide Remembrance Day on August 25, commemorating the brutal military campaign beginning this day in 2017 that forced some 750,000 Rohingyas to flee to Bangladesh.

Mohammad Zubair, a Rohingya leader, said the international community should put pressure on the Myanmar military junta to start repatriation as soon as possible.

Photo: Md Rajib Raihan/Star

At the demonstration, another Rohingya leader Kamal Hossain said, "We want back our citizenship from Myanmar. We are citizens of Myanmar. Myanmar must accept it. They will have to repatriate us with full dignity, safety and security. They should do it with the coordination of international community."

Photo: Md Rajib Raihan/Star

Shahid Win, a Rohingya woman, said, "It has already been six years. We are exhausted and don't want to stay anymore in Bangladesh. We demand justice for the genocide."

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