A collection of tragic photos of the Rohingya Muslims on their journey fleeing Myanmar to Bangladesh was published by Time magazine. The photos were captured by Kevin Faryer, a Getty Images photographer based in Bejine.
Being an eyewitness himself, Faryer describes the desperate journey as follows:
The boats usually arrive at night because it’s safer in the dark. Occasionally they come during the day, when a situation is urgent enough to risk fire from Myanmar border guards, or a window for safe passage opens up. The majority arrive at the southern tip of Shah Porir Dwip, an island where the Naf River meets the Bay of Bengal. The water can be rough, but when a boat capsizes there is no search party or rescue effort, just a wait for the bodies to wash up on shore. The anonymity of it is tragic.
When boats make it, there is a scramble to get people out. Babies are handed off to make sure they don’t get dropped in the water; the elderly are lifted and carried, and often people are so weak and exhausted and overwhelmed that they just collapse. What’s striking is that it’s so quiet. There may be someone sobbing or a baby crying, but usually the moment they arrive is almost silent.
Once new arrivals find a space, they get bamboo poles and tarpaulin to build a shelter. Aid organizations construct latrines and dig wells for clean water, but the sheer number of people makes it a challenge to maintain sanitation and stave off disease. The monsoon rains are heavy and frequent, and the ground is incredibly wet and muddy.
A man and woman carry their children on an embankment after crossing the river. GETTY IMAGES
Rohingya carry their belongings after fleeing from Myanmar. GETTY IMAGES
Refugees make their way through the water after crossing the river to Bangladesh. GETTY IMAGES
A woman arrives on the Bangladesh side of the Naf River. GETTY IMAGES
Rohingya who walked for more than a week to cross the river wait to proceed to camps. GETTY IMAGES
Rohingya who walked for more than a week to cross the river wait to proceed to camps. GETTY IMAGES
Rohingya carry their belongings after crossing the river. GETTY IMAGES
A family rests after crossing the river. GETTY IMAGES
A woman collapses from exhaustion after crossing the river. GETTY IMAGES
A local NGO distributes food near the Balukhali camp. GETTY IMAGES
Malnourished children cry at a shelter at the Balukhali camp. GETTY IMAGES
A woman uses a candle to light her tent at the Palong Khali camp. GETTY IMAGES
A woman suffering from malnutrition and diarrhea lays at a hospital. GETTY IMAGES
Refugees build a new mosque at the Balukhali camp. GETTY IMAGES
A local NGO distributes food near the Balukhali camp. GETTY IMAGES
A woman cradles the body of a boy before burial. GETTY IMAGES
Men pray at sunset on the site where a new mosque was being built at the Balukhali camp. GETTY IMAGES
Source: http://time.com/rohingya-exodus-myanmar-refugees-kevin-frayer/
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