Suu Kyi denies ethnic cleansing of Rohingya

Myanmar’s de-facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has denied claims that security forces have carried out ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims, despite widespread reports of abuses

BANGLADESH 
MYANMAR
RAKHINE STATE
Refugee camp
Kutupalong
Nayapara

BAY OF BENGAL
BANGLADESH
CHINA
MYANMAR
THAILAND
INDIA
50km
30 miles

Oct 2016, Maungdaw: Nine border policemen killed in co-ordinated attacks.
Around 70,000 Rohingya’ flee to Bangladesh in ensuing army crackdown
Around 232,000 Rohingyas already living in Bangladesh
before recent influx, many in refugee camps with poor facilities

500km
300 miles

IDPs BY TOWNSHIP
120,607
Internally displaced people (IDPs)
(as of Feb 2017)

IDP camp
1-5,000 5,000-50,000 >50,000


WHO ARE THE ROHINGYA?
Muslim ethnic group, largely descendants of Arab traders, living in region for generations
Rohingya – estimated at one million strong – are denied citizenship as government views them as illegal migrants from Bangladesh
They face routine official and public discrimination
Sectarian violence in Rakhine state in 2012 left scores dead and displaced more than 100,000 people

Sources: UNHCR, OCHA, wire agencies