Since late-August 600,000 Rohingya have fled across the border of Myanmar to Bangladesh following a violent confrontation in Rakhine state that quickly escalated into what the United Nations has called a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing.” Many have escaped burning villages by foot, walking for twelve to fourteen days before arriving in Bangladesh. The Rohingya have long faced violent oppression in Myanmar, which stripped them of citizenship 1982 and frequently makes them a target of racist, incendiary propaganda.

Most of the refugees have settled in makeshift camps situated around the small border city of Cox’s Bazar. Relief agencies and the United Nations have been operating in the area but despite their efforts, have been unable to accommodate the large numbers of people in need of food and lodging. As the Myanmar and Bangladeshi governments discuss solutions to the crises, the fate of the Rohingya remains uncertain.

Chien-Chi Chang visited Cox’s Bazar in late-October/early-November and documented life in the Rohingya camps.

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