The Rohingya: A Marginalized People in Myanmar
The Rohingya are a minority ethnic group living in Rakhine State, northwestern Myanmar. Unlike the majority Burmese population, who are predominantly Buddhist, the Rohingya are Muslim. They claim to have lived in the country for generations, but the Burmese government considers them illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and does not recognize them as citizens. Meanwhile, the Bangladeshi government asserts that the Rohingya have long lived in Myanmar and have no connection to their homeland.
Since the 1990s, the Burmese military has conducted operations against the Rohingya. In August 2017, a large-scale operation led to the deaths of thousands, and more than 700,000 refugees fled to Bangladesh. Refugees testified that Myanmar’s military used sexual violence, arson, and torture to drive them out of the country, and the United Nations and the international community labeled this as “ethnic cleansing.“
Ongoing Suffering of Rohingya Refugees
After the military coup in Myanmar in February 2021, the number of Rohingya refugees increased further. In response, the Bangladeshi government tightened restrictions due to concerns about their permanent settlement.
In December 2021, the Burmese government banned homeschooling and private education for Rohingya children and closed about 30 schools. Additionally, they demolished approximately 3,000 Rohingya-run shops, threatening their livelihoods.
In May 2022, 650 Rohingya refugees who left their camps to celebrate Eid were arrested, and movement in and out of the camps was strictly prohibited. Now, they must obtain permission to travel; if not, they risk being beaten at checkpoints. Children, who make up more than half of the 1 million Rohingya refugees, are suffering the most from these restrictions. With schools closed, they have lost access to basic education, and their hopes for a better future are fading.
》Scripture Prayer
Psalm 121:1-8(NIV)
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD watches over you— the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life;
8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
2 Corinthians 1:8-11(NIV)
8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself.
9 Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.
10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have
set our hope that he will continue to deliver us,
11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.
》Pray that the Word may become the Conclusion.
1. Let us pray that the Lord will watch over the Rohingya people, one of the most ignored and mistreated groups in the world, as they remain stateless in both Myanmar and Bangladesh. May the Creator, who made the heavens and the earth, protect them with His mercy and compassion, and may they come to know and seek God.
2. Let us praise the Lord, who hears the cries of the Rohingya people suffering from religious and ethnic discrimination, violence, and persecution in Myanmar, and who works through many helping hands. As they live as refugees, let us pray that the Gospel of the Cross will be shared with them so that they may receive salvation and be restored to new life in Jesus Christ.
3. The Rohingya people have endured severe suffering for many years, losing all hope of life and facing what feels like a death sentence in this world. Let us pray that they will recognize their situation and turn back to God in repentance. May churches around the world continue to intercede for the Rohingya, giving thanks to God for His work among them.
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