Annisa Essack | kzn@radioislan.org.za
17th May 2023 | 13:30 CAT
2 min read

Photo Credit: Radio Free Asia

Cyclone Mocha was one of the strongest storms to land in the region this century, packing winds of about 209 km/h. The powerful cyclone hit Myanmar and Bangladesh on Sunday. Hundreds of homes and shelters have collapsed in Myanmar, and communication has been difficult in the country, and people are still missing, so death toll estimates vary.

Nay San Lwin, activist and co-founder of the Free Rohingya organisation, spoke to Radio Islam International to shed more light on the situation.

No warnings were given to the Rohingya in Myanmar. Some disabled people were moved to safer areas. He explained that all Rohingya camps had been affected, and exact figures are unavailable as internet communication is down. One of the camps in Sittwe was washed out by more than 30 feet of flooding. The Rohingya’s poor living conditions in Myanmar and the flooding have displaced most. He estimates the death toll to be between 400-1000.

According to San Lwin, the military government says they would not allow NGOs to distribute aid to the people; however, they will receive and distribute it themselves.

There were no immediate reports of casualties in neighbouring Bangladesh. Still, the category five storm crushed thousands of shelters in the world’s largest refugee camp at Cox’s Bazaar, home to one million Rohingya refugees from Myanmar. However, he said the refugees there receive humanitarian assistance and are fairing better than those in Myanmar.

His concern is that starvation could overtake the refugees in Myanmar.

Speaking on the repatriation of the Rohingya to Myanmar from Bangladesh, San Lwin says Bangladesh authorities should suspend plans to send the Rohingya refugees back as their lives and liberty would be at grave risk.

He added that with China brokering the deal with Myanmar to allow refugees to return, the military junta was expected to change its policies toward them. But the regime, he says, has not offered citizenship; instead, it will provide the National Verification Card or the “genocide card.”

But San Lwin says that the junta will offer nothing more to the Rohingya that will convince them to return to Myanmar.

Listen to the full interview on Sabahul Muslim with Sulaimaan Ravat here