Rohingya Genocide Remembrance Day: My Story Did Not End When I Fled

By Yasin Arfat, Associate Delegate & Refugee Storyteller Collective member

August 25th carries a painful meaning for me and for Rohingya people around the world. It is a day to remember the lives lost, the families separated, the homes destroyed, and the over 750,000 Rohingya who were forced to flee Myanmar in 2017.

I was one of them. I fled Myanmar to escape persecution and violence and sought refuge in Bangladesh. Like many other Rohingya, I left behind my home, my community, and the life I knew. I spent five years living in a refugee camp, experiencing firsthand the challenges and uncertainty of life as a refugee.

But my story, like the story of so many Rohingya, did not end when I crossed the border.

The genocide did not end when Rohingya people reached safety. For those living in refugee camps, displacement brought a different kind of suffering. Families continue to live with uncertainty, limited opportunities, and difficult conditions. Children are growing up in refugee camps without knowing what it means to live safely in their own homeland. Many continue to wait for the day when they can finally build a secure and dignified future.

The Rohingya crisis needs continued international attention. The world cannot remember the Rohingya only on August 25th or only when our suffering makes the news. The crisis is ongoing – Rohingya people are still displaced, still waiting, and still hoping for a future where they can live with dignity and equal rights.

Since 2017, the United States has been a great supporter of the Rohingya people, including through humanitarian assistance that supports the basic needs of over 1 million refugees in camps in Bangladesh and those who remain in Myanmar. Additionally, thousands of Rohingya have resettled in the U.S. and are now contributing members to flourishing communities. However, recent policy shifts are negatively impacting the Rohingya who remain at risk. The scaling back of U.S. foreign aid has led to food shortages and reduced access to health services in refugee camps like in Cox’s Bazaar. The suspension of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program has indefinitely blocked Rohingya refugees, many of whom have spent years going through the resettlement process, from reuniting with family members.

I have known the United States to be a place of welcome, safety, and opportunity. It is my  hope that we can continue our tradition of welcoming refugees and protecting people seeking safety. We must reinstate the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program so that Rohingya refugees, and others who have been forcibly displaced and are in need of protection, can have the opportunity to begin rebuilding their lives.

For me, August 25th is more than a day on the calendar. It is a reminder of the home I was forced to leave, the people who were lost, and the millions of lives that continue to be affected by the consequences of the genocide.

It is also a reminder of why I continue to speak.

The story of the Rohingya did not end when we fled Myanmar. Our story continues in refugee camps, in communities around the world, and in the voices of Rohingya people who refuse to let the world forget.

We are still here. We are still speaking. And we are still hoping for a future where every Rohingya can live with safety, dignity, freedom, and equal rights.