Muslims who flee tyranny in Arakan where radical Buddhists have massacred more than 1,000 people over the past two months are trying to take refuge in camps in Bangladesh.

Teams from the IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation have entered these camps where hundreds of thousands of people try to survive. Refugees who came to the camp earlier are in the majority now. IHH teams deliver emergency relief items and food to the refugees in the camps.

Arakanese Muslims who have been forced to leave their country for years are now subjected to atrocities of radical Buddhists. More than 1,000 Muslims were killed while thousands of others were displaced and had to take refugee in camps in the incidents that took place over the past two months.

Being in the region for years, IHH teams managed to enter the refugee camps after long-lasting efforts. The aid teams, which carried out relief efforts in the same camps in the past years, had this time difficulty in entering the camps.

IHH, which has been providing relief to Arakanese Muslims for long years, has not left them alone following the latest tragedy. Continuing to deliver emergency relief items and food to the Arakanese Muslims so that they can have fruitful Ramadan, IHH plans to increase the number of orphanages, masjids and schools it earlier established in the region.

As the IHH emergency teams work hard in the region, Sait Demir, IHH representative in Arakan, said: “We established a crisis desk following the latest incidents. We carry out all kinds of efforts, in the official and humanitarian level, to make the voices of the Muslim community be heard by the world.”

Arakanese Muslims who flee years-long radical Buddhist tyranny have no choice other than taking refuge in Bangladesh. According to official figures, there are currently 35,000 Arakenese Muslims in Bangladesh while unofficial figures suggest that the number of Arakanese Muslims in the country is close to 500,000. However, the fact that Bangladesh has limited financial means to support these refugees and its political relations with Myanmar prompts the Bangladeshi government to deny Arakanese refugees. Those fleeing Arakan do not return back when they are denied entry by Bangladesh, they either secretly cross the Bangladeshi border at night or try to survive in boats in the rivers on the border.

Charity givers who would like to make donations for the Muslims who live under difficult circumstances on the Myanmar-Bangladesh border could make their donations online via www.ihh.org.tr or by giving a call to the IHH from the +90212 631 21 21 phone number.

Please click to have a look at IHH’s report on Arakan which includes detailed information about the region.

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