Sub-title:
The Right to Mental Health for Rohingya Survivors of Genocide in Myanmar and Bangladesh
Description:
"It has been three years since “Saiful,” 27, escaped genocidal attacks in
Myanmar’s Rakhine State. His experience continues to affect him.
“I cannot think well,” he said. “I’ve become thin and gangly because of the
stress. I feel tired. I cannot eat well. I feel angry when I imagine the persecution.”
Born and raised in northern Rakhine State, Saiful survived grinding human
rights violations since his childhood, and in 2017, he witnessed mass atrocities
perpetrated by Myanmar Army soldiers against Rohingya civilians. In August
that year, at the height of Myanmar Army-led attacks on Rohingya, Saiful fled
massacres, deadly arson attacks, mass rape, and other crimes, leaving behind
murdered family and friends to join Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, who
now number approximately one million.
“No one is helping us in proper ways,” he said from a refugee camp in Cox’s
Bazar District, Bangladesh. “I cannot sleep when I remember my relatives who
were killed. It is very difficult for me to do any work.”
Saiful is describing symptoms typically associated with Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD), a serious mental health condition. In the case of Rohingya
who survived recent attacks, the mental harm of PTSD can be destructive,
impairing daily functioning and the ability to live a full and constructive life.
Saiful is unfortunately not the only Rohingya refugee suffering from serious
mental health conditions due to human rights violations and violence
perpetrated against Rohingya in Myanmar.
The quantitative research included in this report and conducted by a team
of ten Rohingya researchers and Fortify Rights provides new evidence of the
pervasive and severe mental health toll that human rights violations and
violence has had on the Rohingya community. This report documents and
analyzes the findings of this Rohingya-led participatory action research.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimate that 12 months after an
emergency, approximately 15 to 20 percent of adults will experience some
type of moderate or mild mental health disorder. The Rohingya are suffering
at significantly higher rates. The Rohingya-led participatory action research..."
Source/publisher:
"Fortify Rights" (Myanmar)
Date of Publication:
2020-12-10
Date of entry:
2021-01-07
Grouping:
- Individual Documents
Category:
Countries:
Myanmar, Bangladesh
Language:
English
Local URL:
Format:
pdf
Size:
3.11 MB ( reduce version)
Resource Type:
text
Text quality:
- Good
Alternate URLs:
- html
Remote URL:
pdf (102 pages) (3.7 MB - Original version)