Rohingya

The Rohingya are a Muslim minority group primarily from Myanmar's Rakhine State, often described as one of the world's most persecuted people. They are newsworthy due to ongoing international legal proceedings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) where Myanmar is accused of genocide against them, brought forth by The Gambia. Myanmar denies the charges, claiming a lack of sufficient evidence. The ICJ case is significant as it marks a rare instance of a country being taken to the court by a third-party rights defender. Furthermore, Rohingya refugees in countries like Malaysia face the threat of forced removal as the government implements biometric registration. Landmines along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border continue to injure villagers. Many Rohingya refugees have had their birthdays arbitrarily recorded as January 1st, symbolizing a loss of identity.