“I will mix poison in the food. I will kill myself, my children, my entire family if I am forced to leave.”

–Fatima Noor, a Rohingya refugee on the list of 3,500 cleared by Bangladesh & Burma for ‘repatriation’ to Arakan state

In a stunt probably to placate the UN, Bangladesh & Burma have cleared 3,500 Rohingya refugees to return to Arakan state not even two years since they fled a genocidal onslaught. The two governments repeatedly claim the ‘repatriation’ is voluntary but cannot find any Rohingya willing to return to live in concentration camp conditions without any assurances of safety from Suu Kyi & the generals completing the ‘final solution’. The Rohingya want to return to their homeland but will not until their full democratic, human, & civil rights are guaranteed.

https://www.dw.com/en/repatriation-plans-stir-fear-among-rohingya-refugees-in-bangladesh/a-50112512?

“A brother went home after spending a day with his sick sister with the promise to come back early morning. For four days he struggled to reach SKIMS {the hospital} & finally made it to the hospital only to know the lady died three days ago. #Kashmir”

–a vignette from the siege of Kashmir by Aabid Ibn Bashir Dhar

Social media is becoming a place to overcome news blackouts about human rights struggles against occupation & genocide, struggles that most of us knew nothing about. For so long, people have been asking ‘what about the genocide in West Papua’, why doesn’t someone write about it? In fact, we paid little attention, overwhelmed by so many other struggles. Now, there are the beginnings of reporting about the genocidal role of the Indonesian military against the people of West Papua. Without international support, they stood alone. With knowledge & understanding, we can stand with them & give their freedom struggle the respect & support it demands.

(Photo via Nes Lowe)

By Abdul Jabbar Chand, South Africa solidarity activist