Daniel Rook
KHAO LAK, Thailand (AFP) – Homeless, hungry and nine months pregnant, Nuru boarded a rickety boat filled with Rohingya asylum seekers fleeing a wave of deadly sectarian violence in western Myanmar.
Six days later she gave birth at sea, far from any hospitals or doctors.
Since Buddhist-Muslim tensions exploded last June in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, thousands of Rohingya boat people – including a growing number of women and children – have joined an exodus from the former junta-ruled country.
Nuru, 24, with her one month old baby, Muhammad Ayik, at a Thai government shelter in Khao lak, southern Thailand. Homeless, hungry and nine months pregnant, Nuru boarded a rickety boat filled with Rohingya asylum seekers fleeing a wave of deadly sectarian violence in western Myanmar
Those who arrived in neighbouring Thailand have been “helped on” by the Thai navy towards Malaysia further south or detained as illegal immigrants.
Hundreds are feared to have drowned along the way while others were rescued as far away as Sri Lanka.Denied citizenship by Myanmar, where they have suffered decades of discrimination and persecution, they left behind a country where they were never wanted – only to find they are unwelcome elsewhere.
“After my house was burned down I had nowhere to live and no job,” Nuru, 24, told AFP at a government-run shelter in southern Thailand, cradling her month-old baby boy in her arms.
Even though she was on the verge of giving birth, Nuru decided to make the long and dangerous journey in the hope of reaching Malaysia.
After just a few days at sea, the food and water ran out.
“We had to drink sea water and we got diarrhea,” said Nuru.
Some fishermen took pity on them and gave them water, fish and fuel.
Finally, two weeks after leaving Rakhine, their flimsy vessel reached an island off Thailand’s Andaman Coast after a near 1,500 kilometre (900 miles) journey.
But their ordeal was not yet over.
Those who arrived in neighbouring Thailand have been “helped on” by the Thai navy towards Malaysia further south or detained as illegal immigrants.
Hundreds are feared to have drowned along the way while others were rescued as far away as Sri Lanka.
Denied citizenship by Myanmar, where they have suffered decades of discrimination and persecution, they left behind a country where they were never wanted – only to find they are unwelcome elsewhere.
“After my house was burned down I had nowhere to live and no job,” Nuru, 24, told AFP at a government-run shelter in southern Thailand, cradling her month-old baby boy in her arms.
Even though she was on the verge of giving birth, Nuru decided to make the long and dangerous journey in the hope of reaching Malaysia.
After just a few days at sea, the food and water ran out.
“We had to drink sea water and we got diarrhea,” said Nuru.
Some fishermen took pity on them and gave them water, fish and fuel.
Finally, two weeks after leaving Rakhine, their flimsy vessel reached an island off Thailand’s Andaman Coast after a near 1,500 kilometre (900 miles) journey.
But their ordeal was not yet over.
Source link: http://borneobulletin.com.bn/index.php/2013/02/26/rohingya-refugees-desperate-voyage-for-new-home/