A year after fleeing Myanmar, Rohingya demand justice
KUTUPALONG (AP) — Thousands of Rohingya Muslim refugees yesterday marked the one-year anniversary of the attacks that sent them fleeing to safety in Bangladesh, praying they can return to their homes in Myanmar and demanding justice for their dead relatives and neighbors.
More than 15,000 gathered in the morning on a hilltop in the Kutupalong refugee camp, part of a sprawling web of settlements that are now home to nearly 900,000 Rohingya who have fled Myanmar.
“25th August — Black Day,” one banner announced.
The protesters —men, women and children — marched through the muddy camp, chanting slogans such as “No more genocide, we want justice.” At a mass prayer rally, one speaker repeatedly shouted the question “Who are we?” to which the crowd responded in chorus: “Rohingya! Rohingya!”
Most people cried as they raised their hands while an imam who led the prayer sought God’s blessings, saying “please consider the people who have been killed as martyrs and place them in heavens.”
Some of the protesters car- ried paper flags of Myanmar. Newly setup shops inside the camp were closed during the protest that continued for several hours.
The camps exploded in size last year when Myanmar’s army launched a wave of anti-Rohingya attacks about Aug. 25, and some 700,000 Rohingya began pouring across the border. Thousands were killed in the violence.