From the Ground: A Visual Update of Developments in the Rohingya Refugee Camps
Selection of images and videos from 20th May to 26th May, 2024.
If you’re not following me on X (formerly Twitter) or other Rohingya-focused accounts on social media, you might have missed some significant developments in the camps. Here, I will share some of the images and videos I posted on X to provide a glimpse into the horrendous events happening in the camps. I will also use the text that I used on X. If things are not clear, please do ask in the comments and I will clarify.
20th May
Rohingya women stand against forced recruitment. In this photo, Rohingya women emerge as defenders of their community, wielding sticks to chase off Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO) and Arakan Rohingya Army (ARA) cadres. photo: 20th May. The colour has been removed to prevent identification. The photographer is a. young woman.
21 May
Violence Escalates in Camp 1: Rohingya Refugees Clash with APBn Over RSO Members Refugees in Camp 1 have reportedly been searching for members of the Rohingya Solidarity Organisation , leading to the destruction of some "RSO shelters." Tensions escalated this morning when RSO members sought refuge in an APBn outpost, prompting refugees to besiege the facility & demand that the APBn hand over the RSO individuals. The situation intensified when APBn attempted to transport the RSO members away from the scene in a bus. A large crowd of refugees surrounded the vehicle, insisting that the RSO members be handed over to them. In response, APBn police discharged some kind of pellet firearm to disperse the crowd - resulting in several injuries.
Video from Rohingya Camp 4 Block B captures intense scenes circa 5pm: Rohingya youths armed with sticks stand against RSO and ARA cadres attempting abductions. The community is determined to resist forced conscription. Intervention needed to prevent escalation - but this is not possible given the complicity of the authorities.
Ongoing tensions regarding forced conscription. Rohingya Camp 4 F Block, around 7pm. Refugees reporting that RSO and APBn opened fire. There are unconfirmed reports of two fatalities and several injuries.
22 May
Violence escalates in Rohingya Camp 4. Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO) gunfire injures six, including one girl, four children, and an elderly woman. Critical and uncontrollable conditions reported by refugees as APBN police stand by in all the chaos.
**Sensitive** Rohingya Camp 4 around 10 PM: Video captures police taking an injured RSO cadre into custody, gun pointed at his chest. Additional footage shows other RSO men (allegedly) being forcefully led to a police truck, surrounded by Rohingya refugees wielding sticks.
Rohingya families torn apart by conscription In today's print version of Dhaka Tribune, I interview 3 Rohingya families whose sons were abducted by Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO) and handed over to the Myanmar military. The ultimate betrayal?
23 May
New footage captures a now familiar scene: this from Rohingya camp 2 Police rush to aid RSO abductors as Rohingya refugees, including women and youths armed with sticks, encircle their vehicle. The community stands defiant, protecting themselves against forced conscription.
24 May
Fire in Rohingya Camp 13 Is this a result of the recent Rohingya public V RSO conflict over forced conscription?
Camp 13 fire / Barbed Wire Fence Rohingya Refugees face deadly obstacles during fires, forced to navigate around or break through barbed wire fences to seek safety. These barriers can become death traps in the chaos.
25th May
These shocking photos are screen captures from a video taken in Rohingya Camp 5 yesterday around 3pm. Why are these young men roaming around with guns in their hands? What are the camp authorities & APBn doing to address this terrorising of Camp 5 refugees? Who are they? Do they have anything to do with forced recruitment that is going on?