LOGIN DASHBOARD

    Videos

    3 MIN READ

    A new beginning

    Robic Upadhyay And Ashwin Sharma, November 29, 2018, Kathmandu

    A new beginning

      Share this article

    Rohingya refugees in Nepal strive for a better future

    (The Record)

    The tragedy in Myanmar continues to unfold. A mass exodus of refugees followed after the Myanmar government started violently persecuting the Rohingyas, a minority Muslim community. The grim images of burning villages in Myanmar, refugees making treacherous journey to Bangladesh made international headlines, yet this has not stopped the Myanmar government from what the UN calls a genocide led by military generals. The atrocities against Rohingyas continued even after Aung San Suu Kyi, once a freedom fighter and darling of the international community, came into power. She stands accused of remaining silent and doing nothing as crime against humanity took place in her country.

    Many are aware of the Tibetan or Bhutanese refugees in Nepal but very few know that there is a small community of Rohingya refugees concealed behind Kapan hill in the outskirts of Kathmandu. The first group of refugees arrived as early as 2012; who sent the word back to those fleeing the latest persecution in Myanmar that Nepal was a safe bet. The number of Rohingya refugees living in the Kapan camp was already at 147 according to UNHCR before the crackdown in Myanmar started, the number has risen to around 300 with a few adding up almost every month.

    These refugees survive on a meager income by  working as carpenters and plumbers to afford basic amenities of life. This story is not about the hardships faced by the Rohingya refugees, however. It is about hope and optimism through the eyes of children in the community.

     

    This documentary  is about a man who despite facing the adversities, decided to change something for the benefit of the community. He had set up a small classroom for the children of the Rohingya Muslims within the camp premises around a year back where they can learn to read and write before they can join the formal education in Nepal.

    Going to school provides them with a sense of normalcy and a place to process the experienced traumas. It also provides them with the best chance for a fulfilling future. When we visited the camps, we realized the school to be only cheerful part of the settlement. The kids would willingly interact with outsiders unlike the grownups who still seem to be a little skeptical of strangers.

    The older students who could recall the memories in their home country desired to go back. One of the students lamented, "We had trees of different fruits like mangoes and bananas back home, even a large ground where we could play and run. Here, all we have is the small congested camps we live in."


    By Robic Upadhyay and Ashwin Sharma

    :::

    We welcome your comments. Please write to us at [email protected]. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more short docs. 



    author bio photo

    Robic Upadhyay And Ashwin Sharma  Ashwin Sharma is a photographer. He is currently studying media studies in Darjeeling. Robic Upadhayay is a Kathmandu based photographer. He is currently affiliated with Jazz Productions.



    Comments

    Get the best of

    the Record

    Previous Next

    YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

    Features

    8 min read

    Fifteen years on, no justice in sight for Gangamaya Adhikari

    Roshan Sedhai - February 4, 2020

    One June 2004 , Krishna Prasad was on his way to his grandparents’ home in Jayamangla, Chitwan, when he disappeared mid-journey. The Adhikari family still awaits justice.

    COVID19

    News

    3 min read

    Covid19 Roundup, 21 May: Third death confirmed as cases reach 453

    The Record - May 21, 2020

    A daily summary of Covid19-related developments that matter

    COVID19

    News

    3 min read

    Covid19 Roundup, 19 May: Kathmandu Valley seals border and paid testing to be made available

    The Record - May 19, 2020

    A daily summary of Covid19-related developments that matter

    Explainers

    4 min read

    Particulates, Kathmandu’s silent killer, explained

    Tom Robertson - March 30, 2021

    Young children with developing bodies are at particular risk of long-term health complications from particulate matter in Kathmandu’s air.

    COVID19

    5 min read

    Frontline struggles

    Mallika Aryal - June 15, 2020

    The life of a medical professional grappling with the Covid19 crisis in Rolpa

    Features

    COVID19

    5 min read

    Swindled sugarcane farmers stage protests in the Capital amidst Covid crisis

    The Record - December 13, 2020

    After suffering injustice for years, the farmers have finally descended on Kathmandu to press their demands

    News

    3 min read

    Three-year-old anointed as "living goddess" in Nepal

    Afp - September 28, 2017

    The tradition has drawn criticism from child-rights activists who say the Kumaris are denied a childhood.

    News

    8 min read

    The Taliban returns, Kabul falls, and Afghans despair

    Pranaya Sjb Rana , Marissa Taylor - August 16, 2021

    Fear and uncertainty loom over Afghanistan with the Taliban overrunning the country in a matter of days. Trapped in the chaos are thousands of Nepalis.

    • About
    • Contributors
    • Jobs
    • Contact

    CONNECT WITH US

    © Copyright the Record | All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy