Editorial: Documentary (PROFESSIONAL) - HONORABLE MENTION
Rohingya Refugee Crisis
Photo © Md Shahnewaz Khan
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Over 610,000 Rohingya (according to UNICEF, 340,000 of them children) have fled Myanmar to neighboring Bangladesh to escape killings, arson, sexual violence and other atrocities. Most of them walked three to six days, barefoot over mountains and across rivers. They arrived exhausted, sick and hungry. Human rights investigators said that Myanmar’s military killed more than 1,000 civilians in the state of Rakhine, and possibly as many as 5,000, though it will be hard to ever know because Myanmar is not allowing the United Nations or anyone else into the impacted areas. United Nations OHCHR said that According to Human Rights Watch, since August25, 2017, Burmese security forces have been carrying out a campaign of ethnic cleansing against Rohingya Muslims, government troops had targeted houses, fields, food-stocks, crops, livestock and even trees, making it almost impossible for the Rohingya to return home. This is the world’s fastest growing refugee crisis.
Minara Begum entered Bangladesh from Myanmar after walking for four days and crossing the river. A boatman took 5000 BDT ($63) in exchange for crossing the river. Minara Begum's parents died in 2012 at the hands of Myanmar army and, in September 2017, the Myanmar army killed her husband's parents. Her husband's sister was slaughtered after being raped and her husband's brother was shot dead.
People were holding the soldiers’ feet, begging for their lives. They just kicked them off and killed them. They chopped people into pieces. They threw children into the fire. They raped women and young girls and left them senseless. They are killing the Rohingya like dogs. New reports claim the Myanmar military has begun laying landmines along the border and that soldiers have been shooting unarmed civilians even as they try to flee. Rohingya Muslims demand full-fledged Myanmar citizenship and recognition as Rohingya.
In his words:
"I always want to know about people, their life, their culture and their fight to survive. I believe photography is such a great option for telling the truth to change the world."
He won over 45 International awards including Ian Parry Scholarship, Alexia Grant, Andrei Stenin Press Award (Twice), Ashahi Shimbun Gold Medal (Twice), BPS GRAND, Photoshare award (Twice), Al Mayadeen TV award for peace. Nominated - World Press Photo Joop Swart masterclass (Three times), and UNICEF photo of the year.
His work published in CNN, Sunday Times, National Geography, , FotoEvidence, Eye of photography, TIME Lightbox, P3, EyesOpen, EBS, Smithsonian Magazine, The Quiet American, ViewFind, Resource Magazine, Dhaka Tribune and Photographic Museum of Humanity, Russia Today, Al Mayadeen TV etc. Exhibited: Somerset House in London, House of Lords in London, Royal Geographical Society in London, UN HQ in New York, City Center in Frankfurt, Germany, Norma - Aeroporto di Catania in Italy, Lumiere brothers center of photography Moscow, Just another photo festival, Sony Square NYC, Addis Foto Fest in Ethiopia, Pingyao China: Pip Festival, Beijing World Art Museum, PARIS PHOTO VIA ALIX, AFRICAN ART FAIR, Sputnik, Bustler. The Phoblographer, interaction, International Center of Photography (ICP), EyeTime, Monovisions, BANGKOK POST, CHINA DAILY etc.
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Over 610,000 Rohingya (according to UNICEF, 340,000 of them children) have fled Myanmar to neighboring Bangladesh to escape killings, arson, sexual violence and other atrocities. Most of them walked three to six days, barefoot over mountains and across rivers. They arrived exhausted, sick and hungry. Human rights investigators said that Myanmar’s military killed more than 1,000 civilians in the state of Rakhine, and possibly as many as 5,000, though it will be hard to ever know because Myanmar is not allowing the United Nations or anyone else into the impacted areas. United Nations OHCHR said that According to Human Rights Watch, since August25, 2017, Burmese security forces have been carrying out a campaign of ethnic cleansing against Rohingya Muslims, government troops had targeted houses, fields, food-stocks, crops, livestock and even trees, making it almost impossible for the Rohingya to return home. This is the world’s fastest growing refugee crisis.
Minara Begum entered Bangladesh from Myanmar after walking for four days and crossing the river. A boatman took 5000 BDT ($63) in exchange for crossing the river. Minara Begum's parents died in 2012 at the hands of Myanmar army and, in September 2017, the Myanmar army killed her husband's parents. Her husband's sister was slaughtered after being raped and her husband's brother was shot dead.
People were holding the soldiers’ feet, begging for their lives. They just kicked them off and killed them. They chopped people into pieces. They threw children into the fire. They raped women and young girls and left them senseless. They are killing the Rohingya like dogs. New reports claim the Myanmar military has begun laying landmines along the border and that soldiers have been shooting unarmed civilians even as they try to flee. Rohingya Muslims demand full-fledged Myanmar citizenship and recognition as Rohingya.
About author:
The son of a freedom fighter, Md Shahnewaz Khan is a renowned Documentary Photographer & Managing Director of VOHH Photography Institute. Having dreamed in his youth of becoming a writer, photography instead managed to became his muse and mode of expression.In his words:
"I always want to know about people, their life, their culture and their fight to survive. I believe photography is such a great option for telling the truth to change the world."
He won over 45 International awards including Ian Parry Scholarship, Alexia Grant, Andrei Stenin Press Award (Twice), Ashahi Shimbun Gold Medal (Twice), BPS GRAND, Photoshare award (Twice), Al Mayadeen TV award for peace. Nominated - World Press Photo Joop Swart masterclass (Three times), and UNICEF photo of the year.
His work published in CNN, Sunday Times, National Geography, , FotoEvidence, Eye of photography, TIME Lightbox, P3, EyesOpen, EBS, Smithsonian Magazine, The Quiet American, ViewFind, Resource Magazine, Dhaka Tribune and Photographic Museum of Humanity, Russia Today, Al Mayadeen TV etc. Exhibited: Somerset House in London, House of Lords in London, Royal Geographical Society in London, UN HQ in New York, City Center in Frankfurt, Germany, Norma - Aeroporto di Catania in Italy, Lumiere brothers center of photography Moscow, Just another photo festival, Sony Square NYC, Addis Foto Fest in Ethiopia, Pingyao China: Pip Festival, Beijing World Art Museum, PARIS PHOTO VIA ALIX, AFRICAN ART FAIR, Sputnik, Bustler. The Phoblographer, interaction, International Center of Photography (ICP), EyeTime, Monovisions, BANGKOK POST, CHINA DAILY etc.
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