Like other Rohingyas, Futiya, 26, has many questions over the plight of his people and their future. The Muslim residents from the northern Rakhine state are an ethnic, linguistic and religious minority and de jure stateless, according to the laws of Myanmar.
"I can’t help but ask myself: Why are we stateless and considered less than human by the authorities? How is it that we could live on this land for so long alongside the ethnic Rakhine people and still not be included? How many years must we wait to be citizens of this country?
"Like other Rohingya, I often feel like escaping to another country for a better life; a life without discrimination and without restrictions on movement.
"Life is difficult for us and there have been many occasions when I and others like me have been mistreated by the authorities.
"Even as children at school we were discriminated against and made to sit separately from the Rakhinese students who often bullied us.
“But we never reacted. We never dared. Even the teachers would sometimes discriminate against us.
“Later, while applying to university, I faced more problems and other forms of discrimination.
“I was barred from studying what I wanted and where. As we can’t travel freely, I couldn’t attend university in Yangon or Mandalay as I wanted, but instead had to study in Sittwe, capital of Rakhine.
"That’s not unusual as freedom of movement is a major problem for us. Even inside Rakhine we need permission from the authorities to go from one place to another. Even if I want to go to Sittwe from my home, I have to get permission from the authorities and must return before the permission expires.
"Upon graduation, new barriers and challenges emerged as there are no job opportunities in Maungdaw for us Rohingya, and getting a job has proven all but impossible.
“People don’t want to hire Rohingya graduates like me, although the Rakhinese don’t seem to face any problems.
"That being the case, it’s not difficult to understand why many of my friends have tried to flee to the Middle East via Bangladesh; most will never return. I too could go, but hope keeps me here, hope that one day we too will be citizens of this country and our lives will improve.
"But this will take time and we will need help in improving our livelihoods, but I’m ready to get involved and have big expectations.
"Each day when I listen to the radio, I hear news about the Rohingya; about regional efforts to raise our issues. But I don’t think we will ever be given citizenship under this government.
"Perhaps next year after the election with a new government, our case will come up for review.
"This is my hope, this is my dream. But until that happens, I have no choice but to survive here.”
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"I can’t help but ask myself: Why are we stateless and considered less than human by the authorities? How is it that we could live on this land for so long alongside the ethnic Rakhine people and still not be included? How many years must we wait to be citizens of this country?
"Like other Rohingya, I often feel like escaping to another country for a better life; a life without discrimination and without restrictions on movement.
"Life is difficult for us and there have been many occasions when I and others like me have been mistreated by the authorities.
"Even as children at school we were discriminated against and made to sit separately from the Rakhinese students who often bullied us.
“But we never reacted. We never dared. Even the teachers would sometimes discriminate against us.
“Later, while applying to university, I faced more problems and other forms of discrimination.
“I was barred from studying what I wanted and where. As we can’t travel freely, I couldn’t attend university in Yangon or Mandalay as I wanted, but instead had to study in Sittwe, capital of Rakhine.
"That’s not unusual as freedom of movement is a major problem for us. Even inside Rakhine we need permission from the authorities to go from one place to another. Even if I want to go to Sittwe from my home, I have to get permission from the authorities and must return before the permission expires.
"Upon graduation, new barriers and challenges emerged as there are no job opportunities in Maungdaw for us Rohingya, and getting a job has proven all but impossible.
“People don’t want to hire Rohingya graduates like me, although the Rakhinese don’t seem to face any problems.
"That being the case, it’s not difficult to understand why many of my friends have tried to flee to the Middle East via Bangladesh; most will never return. I too could go, but hope keeps me here, hope that one day we too will be citizens of this country and our lives will improve.
"But this will take time and we will need help in improving our livelihoods, but I’m ready to get involved and have big expectations.
"Each day when I listen to the radio, I hear news about the Rohingya; about regional efforts to raise our issues. But I don’t think we will ever be given citizenship under this government.
"Perhaps next year after the election with a new government, our case will come up for review.
"This is my hope, this is my dream. But until that happens, I have no choice but to survive here.”
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This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
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