As violence escalates in Myanmar, many families from the Rohingya Muslim minority are fleeing their homes, reminiscent of the ethnic cleansing they faced in 2017. Among them are sisters Manwara and Shamshida, who lost their parents to drone strikes while escaping mortar fire from their home in Hari Fara.
The ongoing violence, which has intensified this summer, is not perpetrated by the Myanmar military but rather by the Arakan Army, a pro-democracy rebel group. Despite differing political aims, the group employs tactics reminiscent of past military-led assaults on the Rohingya, including airstrikes and mass arson.
The Arakan Army, primarily composed of ethnic Rakhine, has targeted Rohingya civilians, leading to collaboration between Rohingya armed groups and the military they once opposed. With over a million Rohingya already displaced to Bangladesh, the situation remains dire as new waves of violence emerge.
The tragedy of Hari Fara highlights the rapid devastation of Rohingya communities. Once a vibrant village, it has now become a site of destruction and abandonment following targeted attacks. Witnesses recall the initial violence starting with the assassination of the village chairman, which led to mass recruitment demands from the Arakan Army.
As the fighting escalated, drone strikes became increasingly lethal, resulting in civilian casualties and forcing many to flee towards the Bangladesh border. During this exodus, another tragedy struck when Manwara was separated from her sister and later raped by soldiers in Arakan Army uniforms.
Refugees continue to endure harsh conditions in Bangladesh, where they lack official refugee status and face violence from competing armed groups. The desperation has driven many to seek perilous sea crossings to countries like Malaysia and Indonesia, often resulting in tragedies at sea.
Some Rohingya children live in fear of abduction and conscription, with reports of young boys being forced into militia service or subjected to violence in the camps. Jubair, a fourteen-year-old, recounted his harrowing experience of evading conscription after being kidnapped, reflecting the constant threat faced by young Rohingya individuals.
Shamshida, now deeply affected by her recent losses, remains confined to her tent in a refugee camp, mourning the death of her newborn. As the conflict continues and territories change hands, the sisters express a profound desire to return home to Hari Fara, a place that now symbolizes everything they have lost.