Rohingya refugees in Malaysia - an elderly couple in their home in Kuala Lumpur

Kamal (62) and Bibi (61) were forced to flee for their lives from Myanmar two years ago. In 2012, conflict broke out between Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state, Myanmar. Riots broke out and Rohingya people were driven out from their homes into camps on the border with Bangladesh. Over 2,000 homes were burnt down and 90,000 people were displaced.

 

While in the camp, Kamal spoke to the media about the treatment of Rohingya people in Myanmar, and he says that that soon after he was told he would be arrested by the government if he did not flee the country.

 

Kamal, Bibi and their teenage son came to Malaysia hoping to be resettled to another country. But they have been unable to even register with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) – despite many attempts – and to date they remain undocumented.

 

Photo © The Spacemen

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