Burma Human Rights Network’s report: “We also have dreams” Photo of spoiled potatoes given in rations to refugees from December 2020 Many of the obstacles in feeding a large refugee population could be lessened by allowing that population to seek ways to be self-sufficient. Many Rohingya interviewed for this report spoke positively about their ability to work and support themselves in Burma compared to how they are living in Bangladesh, even though they faced harsh restrictions on employment and labor in Burma. The willingness to work and the many skill sets the Rohingya bring with them should be encouraged by Bangladesh rather than legally prohibited. This would help ease the burden on aid agencies, allow for greater autonomy for refugees, and could help the economy of the host communities grow as well. A 42-year-old man told BHRN, “I have been working with an NGO, through which I could make little money in order to support my family. But we have been laid off since our project has ended. So, it's been about 7 months that I am jobless now. I have been through a difficult situation in supporting my Photo of spoiled potatoes given in rations to refugees from December 2020 family for 7 months. The WFP (World Food Programme) is providing us rations which we can somehow use for meals, but we don’t have any resources financially. This is Bangladesh, not our country. In Myanmar, we had income sources, and we were also able to get loans and support from our relatives and neighbors. We could also go fishing and do daily work which helped us support our families. In Bangladesh, we don’t have any such way of getting support.” www.bhrn.org.uk 12