Asian Geographic2017

ZIGOR ALDAMA is the Far East Asia correspondent for

Vocento, Spain’s largest media group. His work often

revolves around social and cultural issues.

MIGUEL CANDELA is a photographer currently based

in Hong Kong, specialising in social features across

Asia. He won Best New Talent at the 2012 Prix de la

Photographie (Px3) Paris competition.

“We want to amend the 1982 citizenship law to

make sure that they don’t remain stateless and that their

rights are respected, but we don’t think they make a

new ethnic group in the country,” says the NLD’s

U Nyan Win, a prominent figure in the party.

Foreign NGOs are criticising the government’s

inaction, as more than 150,000 people confront death

every day in what some already call concentration

camps. Their situation has worsened due to damage

caused by Cyclone Mora, which struck in May 2017.

“Overcrowding and malnourishment are becoming

critical,” says Aung Win, a Rohingya activist. “And

the young have been deprived of their future, because

education in the camps is poor and discrimination

outside means they won’t be able to get a job.”

Tensions have always been very high between

the Buddhist Bamar and the Muslim Rohingya. The

current climate of violence dates back to May 28,

2012. On that day, three Rohingya men were accused
      of raping a Buddhist girl. Six days later, in an act
      of revenge, a crowd of Bamar attacked a bus full of
      Rohingya and killed 10 people. Rage erupted, and some
      300 people died in the worst riots in recent history.
      The camps were set up to prevent that from
      happening again, but they have become the main
      tool for implementing an apartheid, in turn fuelling
      even more violence. Now, Suu Kyi has to add another
      insurgent group to an already long list: the Arakan
      Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA).
      “Nobody expected the democratisation process of
      Myanmar to be without hurdles. A year in power is still
      too short to judge whether Suu Kyi is a good leader,”
      Naga minority activist Tort Reign says. “There has
      been too much expectation and excessive pressure.
      We have just closed half a century of dictatorship,
      and true democracy will take time to develop.”
      Despite all the problems, Reign says that the
      people should exercise patience, and give Suu Kyi
      some time – at least five years. “But some matters
      require a solution sooner,” he adds. “Otherwise,
      many people may die.” ag

IMAGE © ZIGOR ALDAMA

2016

Htin Kyaw becomes

the first democratically-

elected president in half

a century, although Suu Kyi

exercises power

2012

With many ceasefire

agreements in place, the NLD

wins almost every seat in by-

elections; Suu Kyi becomes a

member of parliament

2015

Democratic general elections

are held and the NLD scores a

landslide victory

2011

The military junta turns into

a civilian government. The

first steps towards democracy

are made

culture