Langkawi, Malaysia – A group of children laughing and playing, enjoying the sun and calm waves on a small beach on Langkawi Island. Some make sand castles, while others play on nearby swing sets. The small group is busy finding shells, gathering them together and presenting them to the teacher.
All children are Rohingya refugees. Some were born in Malaysia, while others arrived by boat after fleeing persecution and violence in Myanmar. Arafat Mohammad oversees students with a smile. He recalls that it wasn’t long ago that they were too afraid to step into the sand, let alone step into the sand.
“The kids were very scared when they saw the ocean. They always hear from their parents that the ocean is dangerous. The ocean is where their relatives died during their boat trip.” Arafat said. “So the kids are traumatized. They believe they die if they go to the beach. By coming here I am trying to show them the beach, the place they can play. And the ocean is not just a place of death.”
Arafat arrived in Langkawi in 2013. He worked as a teacher in Myanmar. “By 2012, the Burmese army had already set fire to many villages where the Rohingya people were inhabited. They were doing it systematically and calling it “cleans the village.” he said. “People were so scared. In front of us, a baby was killed. The woman was raped.”
Arafat said he was involved in reporting his situation to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and assisting victims of sexual assault by the military in order to request medical care. He said he was targeted by the military as a result of his involvement with humanitarian organisations. “The military surrounded my house and they took everything, even my books,” he said.
Arafat left Myanmar by boat. When he arrived in Malaysia, he found an unofficial job in the hotel sector. However, he soon felt compelled to teach again after realising that Rohingya children in his new community had no access to education. “I called my parents and tried to convince them of the importance of education, saying that it was a fundamental right for the child. They started coming to school one by one,” he said. I said that.
Arafat currently has 34 students, ages 5-12. Parents pay small fees to cover the costs, and the school is also supported by local NGOs. “I teach my kids English, mathematics, social studies and science. The lessons include how to show hygiene importance, respect and good manners,” Arafat said.
“Malaysia has given us shelter. I am grateful to the people of Malaysia. I am grateful that there are many different ethnic groups in Malaysia, but here they respect, They don’t dislike them. I want the kids to learn that too.”
Malaysia is not a signatorium of the 1951 refugee conference or the 1967 protocol. Refugees do not have legal status to work or study, but many people can find informal jobs. This means that in many cases, some parents are unable to pay their tuition fees regularly. “I tell my parents, don’t be ashamed. Either way, kids should continue their learning, whether they pay or not,” he said.
“Some kids are already mostly teenagers and they have never studied before, so they can’t read it yet. I tell them, it’s okay, we start with the alphabet first If they can read and write, they will likely have a better future.”
Source link
