By Safrah Fazal
Thu, 13 Feb 2025
The testimonies of the Rohingya paint a picture of innocent people trying to flee grave danger in Myanmar
The recent discourse surrounding the arrival of over 100 Rohingya refugees in Sri Lanka in December 2024 has been fraught with statements that they are victims of human trafficking, or they are illegal immigrants and hence are at risk of deportation. However, the testimonies of the Rohingya themselves paint a different picture—one of innocent people whose lives were in grave danger in Myanmar’s Arakan Province. With no other choice, they entrusted their fate to rickety boats and treacherous waters, clinging to a fragile hope for survival.
In a discussion held on January 27, organised by the Centre for Society and Religion (CSR) and the Muslim Council of Sri Lanka, Rohingya political activist and Co-Founder of Free Rohingya Coalition, Nay San Lwin, sheds light on the ongoing persecution of the Rohingya in Myanmar. He highlighted that the Rohingya were once officially recognised as an ethnic group in Myanmar.
“Most people misunderstand that the Rohingya are stateless, but that’s not really true. The reality is that we belong to Arakan State in Myanmar, in the western part of Burma. We have been experiencing genocide for almost five decades, since the mid-1970s,” said Lwin, who has been living in exile for nearly 25 years.
others, my parents faced a brutal choice: endure escalating violence or risk everything to give their children a chance at life... We do not leave because we want to—we leave because we must”.
- Noor Azizah, Director and Co-Founder of the Rohingya Maìyafuìnor Collaborative Network
He explained that since Burma’s independence from 1948 until 1962, the Rohingya were recognised as an official ethnic group and enjoyed full citizenship. “We had the same freedom as other ethnic groups and nationalities across the country. But after the first coup in 1962, our citizenship and ethnic rights were systematically downgraded. Then, in 1978, the first major wave of violence began,” he said.
During this period, nearly 280,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh but were later repatriated. In 1982, Myanmar’s government enacted the Citizenship Law, effectively rendering the Rohingya stateless in their own country. Lwin noted that further violence erupted in 1991 and 1992, forcing almost 300,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh, with only a few repatriated years later. “State-sponsored violence escalated in 2012, 2016, 2017, and again in 2024. Until 2017, the military was the primary perpetrator, but in 2024, another group—the Arakan Army—joined in the persecution,” he said.
Lwin explained that many of the Rohingya who arrived in Sri Lanka in December 2024 had already lost their homes in the 2012 attacks, which claimed at least 1,000 lives and displaced approximately 150,000 people. Since then, they had been confined to internally displaced persons camps, which Lwin compared to Nazi concentration camps. “These camps are surrounded by watchtowers and barbed wire, and people have been locked inside for over 12 years,” he emphasised.
For years, the Rohingya in these camps survived on rations provided by the World Food Programme (WFP), United Nations (UN) agencies, and other Non-Governmental Organisations.
However, by late January 2024, these supplies stopped after the Arakan Army took control of the Rohingya villages. Lwin added that under the Arakan Army’s rule, Rohingya have been subjected to forced taxation and have even had to share their limited food supplies with the occupying forces.
During this period, nearly 280,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh but were later repatriated. In 1982, Myanmar’s government enacted the Citizenship Law, effectively rendering the Rohingya stateless in their own country. Lwin noted that further violence erupted in 1991 and 1992, forcing almost 300,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh, with only a few repatriated years later. “State-sponsored violence escalated in 2012, 2016, 2017, and again in 2024. Until 2017, the military was the primary perpetrator, but in 2024, another group—the Arakan Army—joined in the persecution,” he said.
Lwin explained that many of the Rohingya who arrived in Sri Lanka in December 2024 had already lost their homes in the 2012 attacks, which claimed at least 1,000 lives and displaced approximately 150,000 people. Since then, they had been confined to internally displaced persons camps, which Lwin compared to Nazi concentration camps. “These camps are surrounded by watchtowers and barbed wire, and people have been locked inside for over 12 years,” he emphasised.
For years, the Rohingya in these camps survived on rations provided by the World Food Programme (WFP), United Nations (UN) agencies, and other Non-Governmental Organisations.
However, by late January 2024, these supplies stopped after the Arakan Army took control of the Rohingya villages. Lwin added that under the Arakan Army’s rule, Rohingya have been subjected to forced taxation and have even had to share their limited food supplies with the occupying forces.
- Nay San Lwin, Rohingya political activist and Co-Founder of Free Rohingya Coalition
Director and Co-Founder of the Rohingya Maìyafuìnor Collaborative Network, which is a Rohingya women-led organisation, Noor Azizah, shared her harrowing experience as a refugee whose family was forced to flee to Malaysia due to military persecution.
“My parents carried us—two elder sisters, two elder brothers, and myself—through unimaginable hardships, driven only by the hope of finding safety. We fled Arakan because staying back meant death. Like thousands of others, my parents faced a brutal choice: endure escalating violence or risk everything to give their children a chance at life. We endured hunger, hid in the forests, clung to the sides of overcrowded boats, and relied on the kindness of strangers to survive. These experiences are not unique to me; they are shared by countless Rohingya who are forced to flee.”
She continued, “We do not leave because we want to—we leave because we must. For eight and a half years, my family lived in Malaysia as refugees. What we thought would be a safe haven became a prison of absolute fear. My siblings and I lost touch with our roots, forced to hide our Rohingya identity to avoid arrest or deportation. I vividly remember the terror of being caught. My brother drilled holes in the wardrobe to create a hiding spot for our mother during raids. Fast forward to 2003, the Australian government granted my family asylum, and for the first time, we experienced freedom—the right to live without fear.”
“My parents carried us—two elder sisters, two elder brothers, and myself—through unimaginable hardships, driven only by the hope of finding safety. We fled Arakan because staying back meant death. Like thousands of others, my parents faced a brutal choice: endure escalating violence or risk everything to give their children a chance at life. We endured hunger, hid in the forests, clung to the sides of overcrowded boats, and relied on the kindness of strangers to survive. These experiences are not unique to me; they are shared by countless Rohingya who are forced to flee.”
She continued, “We do not leave because we want to—we leave because we must. For eight and a half years, my family lived in Malaysia as refugees. What we thought would be a safe haven became a prison of absolute fear. My siblings and I lost touch with our roots, forced to hide our Rohingya identity to avoid arrest or deportation. I vividly remember the terror of being caught. My brother drilled holes in the wardrobe to create a hiding spot for our mother during raids. Fast forward to 2003, the Australian government granted my family asylum, and for the first time, we experienced freedom—the right to live without fear.”
"We suffered greatly, especially in 2023and 2024, and could nolonger bear it. So, we decided to come to Sri Lanka. We arrived seeking the protection of the UNHCR. We didn’t come to Sri Lanka to stay here; we came hoping that the UNHCR would protect us and our children .Azizah described the Rohingya’s ongoing suffering, stating that the military’s genocidal clearance operations were premeditated and involved mass killings, rape, arson, and torture. “This new wave of violence has left us in a constant state of displacement, forcing thousands to seek refuge in neighbouring countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and now Sri Lanka. This is why we flee; this is why you see us arriving on your shores on rickety boats with battered bodies.
“We are not running to seek better lives—we are running from death. To deport the Rohingya is to send us back to our graves. It is to deny the very humanity we have fought so hard to preserve.
When we flee, we are not looking for handouts; we are looking for a chance to survive and contribute meaningfully. The Rohingya are resilient and resourceful. We are willing to rebuild in solidarity with those who stand with us, but we cannot do this alone—we need your support. In Sri Lanka, it is imperative to go beyond mere tolerance and foster a culture of genuine welcome and assistance,” she said.
Azizah also expressed her deep appreciation for the solidarity shown by the Tamil community and Sri Lankan civil society in opposing the deportation of Rohingya refugees. “Your unity and compassion in this moment offers us hope. Together, we can resist injustice and uphold human dignity. This solidarity has given us strength in our darkest hours. So I make this plea to you: please stand with us—do not send us back to Myanmar,” she urged.
“We are not running to seek better lives—we are running from death. To deport the Rohingya is to send us back to our graves. It is to deny the very humanity we have fought so hard to preserve.
When we flee, we are not looking for handouts; we are looking for a chance to survive and contribute meaningfully. The Rohingya are resilient and resourceful. We are willing to rebuild in solidarity with those who stand with us, but we cannot do this alone—we need your support. In Sri Lanka, it is imperative to go beyond mere tolerance and foster a culture of genuine welcome and assistance,” she said.
Azizah also expressed her deep appreciation for the solidarity shown by the Tamil community and Sri Lankan civil society in opposing the deportation of Rohingya refugees. “Your unity and compassion in this moment offers us hope. Together, we can resist injustice and uphold human dignity. This solidarity has given us strength in our darkest hours. So I make this plea to you: please stand with us—do not send us back to Myanmar,” she urged.
Pleas of recently arrived Rohingya
"I heard that Sri Lankans are merciful and generous, and
because of that, we came seeking refuge in Sri Lanka. We are grateful to them and pray for them"
While journalists have not been permitted to visit the Air Force camp in Mullaitivu, where the recently arrived Rohingya are being held, video testimonies recorded by journalist Sanjeevan Thurainayagam between December 20 and December 23, 2024, in Trincomalee reveal the stories of people desperate to escape death back home.
Speaking calmly but firmly, one of the men explained why none of those arrested should be seen as traffickers.
“We are a minority Rohingya community who are being persecuted. We arrived from an area called Arakan. In 2012, our villages were set on fire, and by 2023, during the war between the Junta and the Arakan Army, the Rohingya Muslims suffered the most. Before 2023, although UN agencies and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) were operational, they closed down, so we couldn’t approach them for assistance. We suffered greatly, especially in 2023 and 2024, and could no longer bear it. So, we decided to come to Sri Lanka. We arrived seeking the protection of the UNHCR. We didn’t come to Sri Lanka to stay here; we came hoping that the UNHCR would protect us and our children.
“Twelve people who came with us were remanded. But I must say that not even one among the 12 is a trafficker. They are those who came with us. Nobody came alone but came with their families. They are innocent and helped us come to Sri Lanka by sea. We are unable to speak to them, so we ask the UNHCR to help us. We ask that the 12 brothers be released. I apologise if I said anything inappropriate”.
With war raging in his homeland, another man explained why he and others had to flee.
“We came here because we are being severely persecuted in Myanmar. There is an ongoing civil war between the Arakan Army and the military, where civilians are being bombed and shot. We felt unsafe staying there because people were being killed every day. Therefore, we held a meeting, decided to buy a boat by selling our lands, and fled Myanmar”.
Another survivor of relentless conflict, he explained the price they had to pay to escape.
“We came here to Sri Lanka intentionally. Clashes are ongoing between the government and armed groups. Bombs are being dropped from the air, killing many. That’s why we had to flee our homeland. Everyone has become a refugee and is living in camps. It has been 12 years now. The UN is no longer helping us because of the ongoing war with the government. Not everyone had the chance to flee; only some of us could make it here. There are still so many remaining in camps – over 150,000. We paid 800,000 Myanmar kyat per person. We used to possess some assets – some gold. We sold all that in the camp to collect the money for this journey”
A Rohingya woman, now far from home, spoke about the suffering that forced them to flee.
Speaking calmly but firmly, one of the men explained why none of those arrested should be seen as traffickers.
“We are a minority Rohingya community who are being persecuted. We arrived from an area called Arakan. In 2012, our villages were set on fire, and by 2023, during the war between the Junta and the Arakan Army, the Rohingya Muslims suffered the most. Before 2023, although UN agencies and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) were operational, they closed down, so we couldn’t approach them for assistance. We suffered greatly, especially in 2023 and 2024, and could no longer bear it. So, we decided to come to Sri Lanka. We arrived seeking the protection of the UNHCR. We didn’t come to Sri Lanka to stay here; we came hoping that the UNHCR would protect us and our children.
“Twelve people who came with us were remanded. But I must say that not even one among the 12 is a trafficker. They are those who came with us. Nobody came alone but came with their families. They are innocent and helped us come to Sri Lanka by sea. We are unable to speak to them, so we ask the UNHCR to help us. We ask that the 12 brothers be released. I apologise if I said anything inappropriate”.
With war raging in his homeland, another man explained why he and others had to flee.
“We came here because we are being severely persecuted in Myanmar. There is an ongoing civil war between the Arakan Army and the military, where civilians are being bombed and shot. We felt unsafe staying there because people were being killed every day. Therefore, we held a meeting, decided to buy a boat by selling our lands, and fled Myanmar”.
Another survivor of relentless conflict, he explained the price they had to pay to escape.
“We came here to Sri Lanka intentionally. Clashes are ongoing between the government and armed groups. Bombs are being dropped from the air, killing many. That’s why we had to flee our homeland. Everyone has become a refugee and is living in camps. It has been 12 years now. The UN is no longer helping us because of the ongoing war with the government. Not everyone had the chance to flee; only some of us could make it here. There are still so many remaining in camps – over 150,000. We paid 800,000 Myanmar kyat per person. We used to possess some assets – some gold. We sold all that in the camp to collect the money for this journey”
A Rohingya woman, now far from home, spoke about the suffering that forced them to flee.
because of that, we came seeking refuge in Sri Lanka. We are grateful to them and pray for them"
“Some have lost their parents, and others have lost their siblings. Some of their fathers have survived, but not their husbands. Due to the horrific conditions, we had to come here. I heard that Sri Lankans are merciful and generous, and because of that, we came seeking refuge in Sri Lanka. We are grateful to them and pray for them”.
With a heavy heart, another refugee described the dangers that forced them to leave.
“We came here because we have been facing extreme hardship. The Moghs (Rakhines) have been burning our homes and persecuting us. We can no longer tolerate it. So, we came to save our children. Please try to help us in any way possible. Please have mercy on us, and God will have mercy on you. We are hoping you will consider our plight. We don’t know where God has brought us or where he will take us next. We swam and crossed the sea because we were in a very perilous situation. So, please have mercy on us”.
Another rohingya refugee, weathered by hardship, expressed his faith in divine protection.
“By Allah’s will, we safely arrived here despite many troubles. After arriving, the communities here took good care of us by providing food and shelter, which is more than enough. They are treating us with respect. Allah helped us reach here. Please pray for us, and we are praying for you all”.
A woman, an escapee of the terrible events that took place back home, looks on back on their journey, remembering the dangers they overcame.
“May peace be upon you. Through many difficulties and problems, we arrived here. We met storms in the ocean on the way here and endured every hardship to reach this place. They are treating us very well and showing sympathy and mercy. May Allah have mercy on them. They are taking care of us respectfully and are feeding us”.
With a heavy heart, another refugee described the dangers that forced them to leave.
“We came here because we have been facing extreme hardship. The Moghs (Rakhines) have been burning our homes and persecuting us. We can no longer tolerate it. So, we came to save our children. Please try to help us in any way possible. Please have mercy on us, and God will have mercy on you. We are hoping you will consider our plight. We don’t know where God has brought us or where he will take us next. We swam and crossed the sea because we were in a very perilous situation. So, please have mercy on us”.
Another rohingya refugee, weathered by hardship, expressed his faith in divine protection.
“By Allah’s will, we safely arrived here despite many troubles. After arriving, the communities here took good care of us by providing food and shelter, which is more than enough. They are treating us with respect. Allah helped us reach here. Please pray for us, and we are praying for you all”.
A woman, an escapee of the terrible events that took place back home, looks on back on their journey, remembering the dangers they overcame.
“May peace be upon you. Through many difficulties and problems, we arrived here. We met storms in the ocean on the way here and endured every hardship to reach this place. They are treating us very well and showing sympathy and mercy. May Allah have mercy on them. They are taking care of us respectfully and are feeding us”.
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