Bangladeshi community trying to open western eyes to Rohingya 'ethnic cleansing'

Nearly a year after a military crackdown that launched what the United Nations has described as "ethnic cleansing" targeting Rohingyapeople in Myanmar,New Brunswickerswith Bangladeshi rootsare working to raise awareness about the crisis.

"I'm emotionally affected by this because there are millions of people who are going through the atrocities," saidRifatHasan, a University of New Brunswick student from Bangladesh.

"It feels that I do have some responsibility, not only as being a Bangladeshi but being a youth who's concerned about the world, who's concerned about human rights, who's concerned about what is right and wrong."

Hoping to increase international pressure

Hasan, along with JavedKhan, hopes that educating fellow New Brunswickers about Rohingyarefugees will lead to an increase in international pressure that could help resolve the ongoing crisis.

The Rohingyapeople are mostly Muslims in a predominantly Buddhist country. Theyhave been persecuted in Myanmar since the1970s, butin August 2017, an attack byRohingyamilitants on police and military bases in the country prompted a crackdown on the ethnic minority.

This forced almost a millionRohingyato flee across theNafriver inTeknaf, Bangladesh.One year later they're still isolated in camps in "horrendous" conditions, suffering what the UN has called "textbook ethnic cleansing" in Myanmar.

On Aug. 25, the one-year anniversary of the crisis, the Bangladeshi community, made up of just over 100 people in the province, will gather in front of the New Brunswick Legislature with posters, pamphlets and speeches.

They've also invited localMPsandMLAs.

"We want people to discuss this issue," saidHasan. "At the end it will lead to some pressure and we want pressure."

"I don't think in New Brunswick people [are] fully aware what is going on inRohingya, what is the root cause of the issue," said Khan, who's been in Canada since 2001.

Khan said it may seem small, but what they really want is for people to ask questions, and write to their local or federal politicians.

"It is very important for the NewBrunswickersto know what is happening in other parts of the world because it's related to global politics," he said. "It's related to how the world is reacting."

A national movement

RassTinmaung, part of the RohingyaHuman Rights Network, asked Hasan and Khan to participate in a cross-country awareness effort after noting that New Brunswick had not had aRohingyaawareness campaign yet.

Tinmaung, who is half Bangladeshi and half Rohingya, said he's spent time in some of thecamps in Bangladesh, where Rohingyarefugees live in conditions described as "horrendous."

"Until we act we're going to witness another Rwanda," he said. "History is going to repeat itself in other parts of the world and us Canadian will just stand there as spectators of this new Rwanda unfolding which I do not accept."

Tinmaunghas been coordinating with groups across the country to hold the demonstration and information session on Aug. 25.

Tinmaungsaid apart from supporting the camps, which is "very essential," the government of Canada and the rest of the international community should address what's happening in Myanmar, which is the "root cause" of the crisis.

Khan said the hope for now is to "raise a little pressure to the Myanmar government to resolve this issue through our political channels."