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History thread: 1. In 1991 I photographed Rohingya refugees fleeing Arakan (Rakhine) Burma (Myanmar.) Wrote 1st published story about them: 
2. As it is now, 91-92 persecution of Rohingyas was framed as Burma military counterinsurgency against a small rebel force (RSO.)
3. Big diff: students incl. Rakhine in Sittwe protested Burma military violence against Rohingyas. Ethnic groups had worked together in ’88.
4. Another diff is on Dec 21 ’91 Burma’s armed forces attacked Bangladesh border security post, killed 4 Bangladeshis, nearly leading to war
5. Rohingya refugees continued fleeing to Bangladesh in early ’92 as Burma army violently searched for RSO “rebels.” 91-92 refugees: 250,000
6. In early ’92 young Rohingya men were put in death camps as suspected insurgents. Burma govt called press reports of atrocities “rubbish.”
7. In early ’92 regional press covered deliberate scapegoating of Rohingyas and lack of support for them even among pro-democracy Burmese.
8. I described '91 Rohingya refugees in my book “Down the Rat Hole.” Interviews are in my ’91 report “Our Journey” projectmaje.org/pdf/journey.pdf
Refugees from 1991-92 still in the Bangladesh camps. News mentioned a 26 yr old teacher who was born there helping newly arriving Rohingyas.
