Burma Human Rights Network’s report: “We also have dreams” Conclusion For over a million Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh, the future is uncertain and the present is monotonous when it isn’t dangerous. They often feel forgotten by the world and trapped in the aftermath of a one-sided conflict they were the victims of. They see dangers in the community hosting them, the police assigned to protect them, and too often even among themselves. Their situation has been approached coldly and politically, told too often that the basic rights they seek are unobtainable or that their pursuit lacks pragmatism. People speak on their behalf often and give them little of what they ask for. It was the intention of this report to ensure at least in part that their voices could be amplified and they could speak directly about their own aspirations, fears, and needs. Practical steps can be taken in the short term to help ease these problems and improve the quality of life of the refugees living in the camps. Relations between refugees, camp authorities, and police should be addressed in a way that seeks to build trust and cooperation and reduces fear and unease. Corruption at all levels should be investigated and addressed, and policies that unfairly criminalize mundane behavior like owning cell phones should be ended. Serious crimes should be addressed with greater urgency and the protection of the most vulnerable should be prioritized in the camps. A greater deal of transparency in these matters is desperately needed as well in order to establish trust between the refugees and authorities. However, the greatest difficulties the Rohingya face in the camps often stem from denials of basic rights and opportunities and require more time and investment to be adequately addressed. Because the Rohingya in the camps can not work or move freely they are forced to endure years of poverty without a chance to improve their own situation. As access to education is limited, children growing in the camps lose their youth and the chance to pursue greater aspirations. These failures create voids in the community that are too easily filled with crime, militancy, desperate decisions, fear, and exploitation. The sadness and anger so many feel comes with few healthy outlets to process what has happened, and almost no chances to improve their station. Allowing for freedom of movement, the right to work, the enjoyment of the universal right to education, and the ability to resettle into a third country would play a vital role in improving the morale of the community, the refugees quality of life, and growing an economy which would also benefit the host community. Although most people see the world’s largest refugee camp as a burden for the international community, such a camp has the potential to be an opportunity for growth, innovation, education, and hope. The approach has long been one that seeks to help refugees survive, but has never been one which sought to help them thrive. The cultural changes required for this to happen must come from the top down in order to be effective. They must also listen to and take seriously the concerns, hopes, and needs of the community they’re mandated to help. www.bhrn.org.uk 51