Since 2008, Bangladeshi photographer Saiful Huq Omi has been documenting the lives of the Muslim ethnic minority, generally known as the Rohingyas, who live in northern Rakhine State, western Burma. Considered to be one of the most persecuted communities in the world the Rohingyas face every kinds of human rights violation - den ial of citizenship, restriction of movement or travel, restriction on education, forced labor, land confiscation, forced eviction, destruction of homes, schools, mosques, religious persecution, ethnic discrimination, restrictions on marriage of Rohingyas, abuse of Rohingya women and elders, rape as a weapon of war, depopulation of Rohingya community, confiscation of residency/citizenship card. To many what is happening to this community in Burma is nothing but a slow burning genocide.
Saiful Huq Omi first studied telecoms engineering before taking up photography in 2005. His photos have appeared in The New York Times, Newsweek, Time and Asian Photography among others.
