Rohingya refugees waiting to be registered in Bangladesh. Image by Rajibul Islam, copyright Demotix (07/07/09). The Rohingya are a Muslim group from Rakhine State (formerly Arakan) in western Myanmar (Burma). According to the United Nations, they are one of the most persecuted minorities in the world, but opinion in Myanmar is divided. Since the 1970s, legal and physical persecution has forced hundreds of thousands to flee in waves to neighbouring Bangladesh, where some have lived in appalling conditions in camps. The UNHCR has been assisting with the repatriation of Rohingya from Bangladesh since 2006. In May 2012, inter-community violence was triggered in Rakhine State by the rape, mutilation and murder allegedly by three Muslim men of a local woman from the Arakanese (primarily Theravada Buddhist) community. On June 10, following riots and the Burmese media casting Rohingyas as terrorists and traitors, a state of emergency was declared. Hundreds of Rohingyas have attempted to flee the violence to Bangladesh by boat but many have been sent back. The Burmese army has largely contained the sectarian violence, but abuses by security forces against Rohingya communities appear to be continuing. Please contact Global Voices Southeast Asia Editor Mong Palatino or South Asia Editor Rezwan if you have links or story ideas, or want to add to this page's resource list. What we do: Global Voices bloggers from South and Southeast Asia report on how citizens use the Internet and social media to make their voices heard, often translating from different languages. Check back for further developments to this page. Latest Global Voices Myanmar PostsTaiwan International Documentary Festival honors Myanmar filmmakers6 days agoSoutheast Asian media groups cite need for press freedom in dealing with extreme weather events2 weeks agoHeatwave highlights climate vulnerabilities in Southeast Asia3 weeks agoDeep historical links complicate Taiwan's relationship with Myanmar10 April 2024The single mother exposing Myanmar junta atrocities while keeping her kids close29 March 2024 Back to Contents 2012 23 Dec – Rohingya Refugees Rejected by Singapore 28 Oct – Confusion over Agreement with OIC to Establish Office in Myanmar 07 Aug – Bangladesh: Citizenship Rights for Myanmar's Rohingya? 01 Aug – Myanmar: Claims of Media Bias Towards Rohingya 27 Jul – Bangladesh, Myanmar: Rohingya Repression in International Spotlight 26 Jun – Myanmar: Rohingya Boat Refugees Left Floating by Bangladesh Government 16 Jun – Understanding the Violence in Western Myanmar 14 Jun – Bangladesh: Keep Border Open For Rohingya Refugees 10 Jun – Myanmar: Rakhine Villages Attacked 27 Jan – Myanmar (Burma): Betwixt and Between Back to Contents “Forgotten refugees”- the Rohingya in Bangladesh, by Amnesty International Australia (06/03/08) Witness: Myanmar's imperiled Rohingya, by Reuters (15/06/12) Back to Contents