A Boundless Journey: From Rohingya Camps to Ireland

by Rafique

People often say, “The sky’s the limit.” But for someone born into a world of restrictions, discrimination, and fear, even small steps toward freedom feel monumental.

I was ten years old in 1992 when my family fled Burma’s military operations, crossing into Bangladesh in search of safety. Life in the refugee camps was harsh—education was scarce, medical care limited, and hope often felt out of reach. For the Rohingya, optimism is often beyond imagination, and kindness is a rare treasure.

Then came Ireland. In 2009, this small island nation, known for its warmth and hospitality, welcomed a group of Rohingya, including my wife and our eight-month-old daughter. That moment marked the beginning of a new chapter—like opening a door to a vast, boundless ocean. Suddenly, dreams felt possible, and the limits that had once confined us vanished.

Freedom is not just a word—it’s a gift that allows a person to grow and thrive. Resettling in Ireland gave us freedoms we had never known: freedom of movement, access to education, security, and the chance to simply live without fear. These small liberties were, for us, almost miraculous.

What makes Ireland truly special is its people—their openness, acceptance, and willingness to embrace someone from a different culture. Yes, the weather can be challenging at times, but it is nothing compared to the boundless journey we are now traveling.

From the hardships of refugee camps to the promise of a new life, this journey has shown me that hope can survive even the harshest conditions—and that freedom, once tasted, is limitless.

Six Years Ago, I Was a Refugee Too - M Rafique

18 June 2015

I am Mohammed Rafique. I was born in Burma (Myanmar), but I grew up in a refugee camp in Bangladesh for more than 17 years. Today, I am proud to have become an Irish citizen in 2013, and I live in Carlow with 78 other Rohingya refugees who were resettled here with the support of UNHCR and the Irish Government. I am deeply grateful for the safety and dignity Ireland has given us.

But I cannot forget the suffering that brought us here, nor the millions of Rohingya still trapped in persecution.

In 1991–1992, many Rohingya fled Arakan State in Burma due to a well-founded fear of persecution by the military junta. Around 260,000 refugees sought shelter in 19 camps in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar district, recognized by both the Bangladeshi government and UNHCR. Since then, approximately 230,000 of these refugees were forcefully repatriated to Burma under so-called “Voluntary Repatriation.” Today, only two registered and two unregistered camps remain. Most of those who were returned fled again due to insecurity and persecution, seeking shelter in unregistered camps or scattered across Bangladesh.

Life in the camps was no different from life in Burma. Food, education, healthcare, and freedom of movement were severely restricted. Refugees lived under constant threat of violence, including rape, abduction, and fabricated legal cases. Many children died shortly after birth due to lack of care, and women suffered from complications and internal bleeding after childbirth. Malnutrition was widespread, and the basic human rights that every person deserves were almost nonexistent.

Rape and forced marriage were persistent threats. Local gangs abducted many refugee girls, some of whom were later forced to marry men from nearby villages. False accusations and fabricated cases against innocent refugees were common. The heads of families were often targeted by local people or authorities, pressured into repatriation, or extorted for money for something as simple as using a mobile phone or computer.

I carry memories of what I saw as a child in Burma and the suffering my family endured there — memories that were repeated in the refugee camps for 17 long years. Yet the situation today in Burma is far worse. Rohingya communities continue to endure systematic and organized crimes, aimed at erasing our people from Arakan State. These crimes are perpetrated not only by the military but also by local authorities, police, and security forces, often supported by elements of society who claim to defend democracy and human rights.

The world has seen these crimes but often looks away. Even those celebrated as defenders of democracy, including Aung San Suu Kyi, have acted as hypocrites in the face of these human rights abuses. We are not outsiders. We are Rohingya — people who have lived in Arakan State for generations. My parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents were all born there.

I call on the international community, governments, NGOs, and people of conscience everywhere to raise their voices. Stop this slow-burning genocide. Protect the Rohingya. Treat us not as a race or a religious minority, but as human beings deserving of dignity, safety, and justice.

Because we are still here. And we are still asking for humanity.

— Mohammed Rafique, Carlow, Ireland

Photos of Rohingya Community Ireland Activities

community volunteer work

UNHCR Ireland host Statelessness Exhibition

One of the most extreme cases in the exhibition is the Rohingya of Burma, a persecuted Muslim minority in the west of Burma. “For 40 years, a million people have been denied citizenship from the homeland for their birth and the repercussions that has had on them over the decades has been tragic,” he said. “They don’t have freedom to travel, most of them are not recognised as refugees, they live a hand-to-mouth existence and they really have no control over the course of their futures,” he said. In order to gain trust, the photographer spent hours speaking with people before taking out his camera. “They have every right not to trust me.

They have been failed by pretty much everybody,” he said. When they knew his intention “most people want their stories to be heard,” he said. He hopes the photographs will help to make an invisible situation visible. “It’s my way of living up to my end of the bargain to the people,” he said. Nowhere People is showing at the atrium in the Department of Justice, 51 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin from Monday to Friday from 9am-6.30pm, until July 19th; admission is free. http://www.thestateless.com/2012/07/exhibition-records-human-experiences-of.html