Voices from the Camp

The Rohingya people is one of the world’s most persecuted ethnic groups. More than one million have fled across the Myanmar border to crowded refugee camps in Bangladesh after they experienced horrendous abuses during the Myanmar military’s ‘clearance operations’ in 2017. Because of these atrocities, Myanmar is also facing charges for genocide before the International Criminal Court.


“No one wants to be refugee, but the situation made us refugees“.

Azad Mohamed

Azad Mohamed, who is one of those who have been forced to flee says that “there was no chance for us, no freedom, no education, no business, the Rohingya community has been stripped of everything”.

The Rohingya from Myanmar have lost their homes and they live in a constant state of uncertainty and continuous trauma. In fact, the malnutrition and the vulnerable situation in the camps is contributing to a continued killing of the Rohingya people, and has therefore been called a “slow genocide”. The camps are continuously affected by flooding, fires, and the spread of disease, and the access to health care is lacking. Most of the pictures in this exhibition are taken in Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh, which is the world's largest and most densely populated refugee settlement. 
Azad Mohamed was born in Arakan state, Myanmar. He was 20 years old when the genocide happened and he has lived in the refugee camp for almost four years and he sees no future for the Rohingya people.

“I see that our children are going to be uneducated, they will forget about their ancestral land. Thousands of Rohingya youths do not know what their future are because the place where we live isn't safe enough to dream, think or expect anything from the future”, says Azad.

Azad is also one of the founders of the photo collective “Rohingyatography” and telling the stories from the camps has become an important part of his life. He wants to show the world what the situation is like and help bring positive change about.

“We long for getting back full basic human rights and higher education”, continues Azad, but he realized that it will take time and that the Rohingya people also need international support.

“The hope is to go back to our motherland, to peace and dignity. But sometimes we feel like this hope is impossible, since international cooperation around these issues are lacking. It will take a very long time to make it possible.”

External support is essential for everyday basic services to function in the camps, but it is also vital that the international community outside of Myanmar receives information and stays engaged. Contact with the outside world, as well as the possibility of education encourages people to continue dreaming and working for a better future.


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The camp location is vulnerable to flooding and mudslides.
Photographer: Ro Mehrooz 
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The camp is vulnerable to fires.
Photographer: Md Jamal
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Sunset in the camp.
Photographer: Shahida Win
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Daily life in the camp.
Photographer: Md Iddris
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A child collects water for his family at the well in camp.
Photographer: Zaw Zeth
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View of the camp.
Photographer: Shahida Win
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“Nothing is left after the fire in the camp”. 
 Photographer: Jamal Arkhani 
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Portrait of a child in camp.
Photographer: Shahida Win 
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A young man is watching while his shelter is burning down.
Photographer: Solim Ullah
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A woman selling leaves to make an income. Eating leaves is an important addition to the meager staples provided in the camp.
Photographer: Mohammed Salim Khan 
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Man smoking.
Photographer: Mohammed Salim Khan 
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“I kept my toys in this place before the fire, but I can't find them now". 
Photographer: Nur Sadek
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Overlooking the camp.
Photographer: Md Solim
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“Preparing food for my colleagues is my main responsibility and they appreciate what I cook for them”.
Photographer: Nur Sadek
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“I couldn't save the house from the fire, but at least I had time to save my mother's medicine”. 
Photographer: Nur Sadek
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“In order to stay away from trauma in the camp, Rohingya children are engaged in different sports. It helps us maintain our physical health”.
Photographer: Nur Sadek
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“When I was in Myanmar I was grateful and happy with my life. I am a farmer and known as a great basketmaker which I sold and made a living. One of my grandsons help me to make the baskets in the camp. My dream is to return to my homeland” - Nadir 70 years old. 
Photographer: Nur Sadek 
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“Some children are at school for education and some are in the playground for games but I'm wandering around the camp to collect plastic bottles to earn money for my family” - Anuwer 10 years old. 
Photographer: Nur Sadek 
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“In the camp, I sell snacks, but I still keep reading the book, which I wanted to finish in Myanmar”. 
Photographer: Nur Sadek 
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A child having lunch inside the shelter while watching other friends playing outside.
Photographer: Nur Sadek
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“It's important maintain daily routines and human dignity, also in the camp”.
Photographer: Nur Sadek
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"It's important for everyone to have a real friend in life"
Photographer: Nur Sadek 
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A father and his daughter are watching the fire. “We have lost everything once again in refugee camp too”. 
Photographer: Md Iddris 
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Since the genocide, there is no future for our young generation”. 
Photographer: Md Iddris
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An old man is crossing a broken bamboo bridge when walking back from praying in the nearest mosque.
Photographer: Pan Thar
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“In Myanmar, everyone loved to play football in the evenings, but in the camp it's a challenge”.
Photographer: Muhammed Khaled
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The camp is surrounded by barbed wire, which drastically limits the freedom of movement.
Photographer: Pan Thar
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A boy eating an icecream in the sweltering heat.
Photographer: Azad Mohammed 
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"Our suffering can be read in our face and eyes”.
Photographer: Nur Sadek 
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“I lost everything in this fire accident but I could save my child and that's my achievement for 2021”.
Photo by Nur sadek
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A boy looking through the remains of his house after it burned down.
Photographer: Nur Sadek

Photo Essay: Based on a FPC project in Stockholm


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Rohingyatography was created in 2018 in the Cox Bazaar refugee camp in Bangladesh. It was the first of its kind and it was started with the aim of marketing photographers and
documenting the suffering the Rohingya have experienced since the persecution in August 2017.

"We started our journey with only a few photographers who were interested, but we can now proudly say that there are more than 25 young persons in the collective who are trying to learn to become professional photographers," says Azad Mohammed, who is one of the founders. He continues to say that, "We believe that a photo can change people's lives and that through photography we can keep memories alive".

Website & graphic profile by fallckolm.com

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