Between 2016 and 2017, the Rohingya, a Muslim minority group in Myanmar's Rakhine State, were subjected to horrific waves of persecution and violence, which many international observers have described as ethnic cleansing. The Myanmar military, in a brutal crackdown following attacks on security posts by Rohingya militants, launched a series of operations targeting civilians. Rohingya men, women, and children were subjected to horrific violence, including mass killings, torture, and rape.
Women and girls were especially vulnerable, with widespread reports of sexual violence. They were abducted, gang-raped, and mutilated by soldiers, who deliberately targeted them as a weapon of war. Many of the survivors became pregnant, further deepening their trauma. Whole villages were burned to the ground, leaving Rohingya families without homes or livelihoods. Forced to flee for their lives, many of the victims trekked for days or weeks, under constant threat of death or capture, toward neighboring Bangladesh.
Children were among the most devastated, witnessing or experiencing extreme violence at an early age. They were separated from their families, or worse, orphaned by the violence, traumatizing them for life. Those who survived the ordeal were emotionally scarred and in desperate need of psychological support.
Upon crossing the border into Bangladesh, the refugees, including tens of thousands of women and children, arrived in a state of shock, many suffering from physical injuries, dehydration, and malnutrition. The largest refugee camp in the world, in Cox’s Bazar, took shape to accommodate the influx of displaced people. The camp was overcrowded, with inadequate sanitation, making conditions rife for disease. Despite the efforts of humanitarian organizations, the refugees were left in limbo, with no permanent solutions in sight. Many Rohingya still live with the trauma of their experiences, facing uncertain futures, and struggling to rebuild their lives in exile.
Persecuted Rohingya refugees that have recently arrived in Bangladesh from Myanmar. Two brothers fled together after one was hit by a shrapnel in the head while their village was under attack by the Myanmar military. He became blind as a result of the injury. Kutupalong refugee camp for un-registered new arrivals, Kutupalong, Bangladesh, February 2017
Rohingya refugee working as underpaid daily labour for Bangladeshi fishing boat owners. Shamplapur, Bangladesh, June 2015
Rohingya women that fled ten days earlier from their village north of Maungdaw in Myanmar. One of the women gave birth to twins while escapting through the jungle. Their husbands have been killed during the military security operations that started in October 2016 in northern Rakhine near the border with Bangladesh. Human rights groups have classified the security sweeps as ethnic cleansing campaigns. Balukhali camp for newly arrived refugees, Bangladesh, February 2017
Rohingya family that arrived few days ago, fleeing persecution and ethnic cleansing campaigns in northern Rakhine. Kutupalong refugee camp, Bangladesh, February 2017
Rohingya child with malaria. With no access to free medical care, the un-registered refugees have no access to doctors and medicine and often die of otherwise curable diseases. Makeshift refugee camp in Shamplapur, Bangladesh, June 2015
Victim of torture who has recently fled from Myanmar after her husband has been taken away by the army. She has no news if her husband is still alive. Najirar Tak, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, February 2017
Rohingya refugees living in the illigal part of Kutupalong camp, a section reserved for un-registered refugees receiving no support at all. Ukhiya, Bangladesh, December 2015
Rashida B., 25 years old, from Tula Toli near Maungdaw in Burma. Her two children were killed by the military forces. The house with her dead children was burned down. She was taken away with 30 other women from the village and were gang raped for several hours by military and local militia. After being raped she was assaulted with a machette to her neck and skull and left for dead. When the place was set on fire she escaped through the back and fled. It took her 8 days to reach Bangladesh and receive the first medical care. She lives now in Bangladesh where she was reunited with her sister who was also sexually assaulted. Balukhali Camp, Bangladesh, November 2017.
Shangi Alam is a 17 years old Rohingya from Maungdaw in Myanmar. He has been shot in the leg by military forces during the first unrest in October 2016. Due to a lack of medical care the wound got infected and his leg amputated. He fled to Bangladesh in September 2017 after his village got burnt down. Kutupalong camp, Bangladesh, November 2017
Amputation after a bad infection, with no access to healthcare, the un-registered refugees can quickly develop complications through otherwise easy to cure diseases. Un-registered Rohingya in Teknaf, Bangladesh, December 2015
Momtaj Begum, 30 years old and her sole surviving child, Ruziya, 7 years old from Tula Tuli village in Maungdaw township. Tula Tuli village was attacked by Myanmar military forces on 30 August 2017 and survivors have witnessed extreme atrocities committed by military forces that international human rights groups have called brutal ethnic cleansing with possible genocidal intent. Momtaj Begum had 3 of her four children and husband executed and decapitated in front of her. She was consequently raped in front of her sole surviving daughter who was assaulted with a machette and left for dead. After the rape and the killings the house was locked by the military and set a blaze. She managed to escape with her daughther who had severe head wounds through the back door, while the military stayed in front of the burning houses. Doing so she was severely burned on more than 80% of her body, her daughter has several machette wounds on her skull. They arrived 5 days later in Bangladesh where she stayed one month in the MSF hospital. Her husband and 3 other boy children of 9,11 and 12 years were all burned in the house after being killed. Balukhali refugee camp in Bangladesh, November 2017
A Rohingya refugee that has recently arrived in Bangladesh with his wife and 5 children. He was an Imam in Myanmar and was tortured in November by the army for days after his legs were broken with metal bars. He was carried into the country. Kutupalong new refugee camp, Cox's Bazar district, Bangladesh, February 2017
Dilnuaj, 30 years old, exhausted after fleeing persecution in Maungdaw Township in Myanmar. Her husband was taken away by the security forces of Myanmar few months ago, she has never heard from him anymore. Kutupalong camp for Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, May 2017
Interior of a makeshift shelter for Rohingya refugees in Nazirar Tek. Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, May 2016
Newly built part of Kutupalong refugee camp hosting more than 50,000 Rohingya refugees that have arrived in Kutupalong camp alone during the past 3 months. Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, February 2017
Torture victim, maimed by the military, is in need of medical care but has no money to afford it, Kutupalong Rohingya refugee camp part III for new arrivals. Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, February 2017
Rohingya girl showing signs of chronic malnutrition. Nazirar Tek settlement, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, May 2016
Rohingya refugee that arrived end December 2016 with his wife and five children. He was tortured and attacked with a machete and is blind on one eye. Kutupalong refugee camp, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, February 2017
A mother hoping to have news from her son who was takien away by the military in October 2016 during the security sweeps in the northern Rakhine State of Myanmar. Kutupalong refugee camp for Rohingya in Bangladesh, February 2017
Nine year old child that was shot by a rubber bullit, fled with his family 10 days ago and is trying to settle in Bangladesh. Kutupalong camp for newly arrived Rohingya refugees, Cox's Bazar, February 2017
Rohingya refugee, victim of torture that recently fled further persecution in Myanmar. Has mental health problems ever since. Teknaf, Bangladesh, February 2017
Azida B., 6 years old Rohingya refugee from Sanifara near Maungdaw in Myanmar. She was snatched in her village by Burmese military and forced to drink car battery acid. Ever since she has lost more than half her weight as she can't digest any food and is vomitting constantly. She fled immediately after the attack with her parents to Bangladesh where she is being treated in a clinic. In March 2018 she was still recovering and was slightly better. Balukhali refugee camp, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, November 2017
Ayub and his family showing original burmese family register and a birth certicicate from his grandfather, demonstrating that his family has been settled i Myanmar for generations contrary to being illigal immigrants from Bangladesh as the Burmese authorities claim. Balukhali refugee camp, Bangladesh, February 2017
Eighteen year old Nurkaydha from northern Maungdaw township in Myanmar was gang-raped for 3 days by soldiers before making an escape accross the border. She lives now with her sister, also a victim of physical torture. Balukhali refugee camp for Rohingya near Teknaf, Bangladesh, February 2017
Rape victim reached safety alone with her children after her husband went into hiding. Her husband holding a family photo has recently joined her in Bangladesh. Kutupalong refugee camp extension for newly arrived Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, South Bangladesh, February 2017
Rohingya women that fled to Bangladesh after their husbands where taken away and killed by the army. Kutupaling refugee camp, Bangladesh, February 2017
Woman and her daughter that recently fled the ongoing security operation directed at the Rohingya minority in neighbouring Burma. Kutupalong Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh, February 2017
Rohingya woman that has recently arrived in Bangladesh and is being hosted by a relative. Shamlapur refugee camp, Teknaf, Bangladesh, February 2017
Rohingya refugees in Teknaf, Bangladesh, February 2017
Rape victim with her 2 month old baby and mother in law. She was gang-raped by 4 soldiers one week after giving birth and after her husband was killed. Fled 3 weeks ago from their village in northern Maungdaw township accross the border in Myanmar. Bulukhali camp for recently arrived persecuted Rohingya from Myanmar, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, February 2017
Rohingya refugee that arrived recently from Buthidaung township in Myanmar with his 18 months old malnourished baby. Balukhali camp, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, May 2017
Fatima Khatun, 20 years old and her sister from Shilhadi in Rathedaung township. She has one daughter and one son, her husband was arrested by the military and jailed 8 months ago. Their village was attacked begining September 2017 by military forces. During the attack her sister in law and her two children were executed and decapitated in front of her. She managed to escape but was shot in the leg. Her mother had left the village before the attack with her 2 children. The village was attacked by at least 100 military forces aided by local Rakhine extremists. The extremists were decapitating people. Eight hundred Rohingya were living in her village, all fled or were killed and the village was burnt down. It took her 18 days to reach Bangladesh helped by her sister and her brother in law. She got the first medical care after having reached Bangladesh and still faces difficulties to walk. She has been without news from her husband for the past 6 months. Kutupalong camp, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, November 2017
Newly arrived Rohingya women and children refugees fleeing ongoing ethnic cleansing campaigns in northern Rakhine. Their husbands have been killed or arrested in Myanmar. Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, February 2017
Nurkaydha, 18 years old, from Hathipara village in Maungdaw township. She was gang raped six times during a single day by Myanmar military forces on 30 April 2017. She has been in Bangladesh for the past 4 days. Her entire family has been killed during the military clearance operations. She is left alone without family and relatives. She fled to Bangladesh with other people from her village and is now staying with them in Balukhali refugee camp near Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh, May 2017
Elderly Rohingya woman living with her disabled son. Fled to Bangladesh after her husband was arrested by Myanmar security forces. She has no news about his whereabouts and presumes that he has been killed. Kutupalong refugee camp, Bangladesh, May 2017
A member of the Rohingya community of Maungdaw in Myanmar, where he was making herbal medecines. He was arrested by the military, beaten and tortured for 5 days with metal rods. His left arm is permanantly disabled. He and his family fled and passed the border into Bangladesh 3 months ago. Kutupalong refugee camp, Bangladesh, May 2017
Nura Shah is 50 years old and a Rohingya refugee from Maungdaw in Myanmar. Two of her sons and husband were arrested by the military 5 months ago and are in Buthidaung jail. She fled to Bangladesh with her 15 year old son. Kutupalong camp for Rohingya refugees in Southern Bangladesh along the Myanmar border, May 2017
The outer limit of Kutapalong refugee camp for registered Rohingya, Teknaf, Bangladesh, May 2016
Nurkolima (left), 18 years, and Kathar Begum, 23 years are sisters. Their husbands were arrested, having no news they presume they were killed. Their mother is still in Myanmar because they didnt have enough money to pay their passage to Bangladesh. They were raped and tortured, 15 days ago, when the Myanmar army came to their village to search for valuables. They arrived 5 days ago in Shamlapur and paid 70US$ to cross the border with their 3 children. Countless rape allegations have been consistently reported during the past months, an accusation the Myanmar authorities deny. Mass rape is often used during ethnic cleansing camoaigns, both acts consitute crimes against humanity and war crimes when carried out by military personnel. Shamlapur refugee camp, Bangladesh, May 2017
Munuara, 17 years old, is from a village near Rathidaung. Her husband was killed by the Myanmar military, she came to Bangladesh with her neighbour after that. She was beaten and gang-raped for 5 days by military in barracks near Rathidaung. Twenty other Rohingya girls were also present in the building and raped by a group of approx 30 military. She escaped after the military moved on to another location. Countless rape allegations have been consistently reported during the past months, an accusation the Myanmar authorities deny. Mass rape is often used during ethnic cleansing campaigns, both acts consitute crimes against humanity and war crimes when carried out by military personnel. Shamlapur refugee camp, Bangladesh, May 2017
Rohingya child with an eye infection and his father have recently arrived from neighbouring Myanmar as refugees. Lambashiya section of Kutupalong refugee camp, Ukhiya, Bangladesh, November 2017
Thirty year old Hasina from Maungdaw township sustained burns when her house and fields were burnt by the Burmese military forces in November 2016. Her husband was killed during the attack on the village. She found refuge in Kutupalong refugee camp, Ukhiya, Bangladesh, November 2017
