Religious persecution in Myanmar

 Read about religious persecution in Myanmar (retrieved from NEWSELA):

The Rohingya Muslims are a group in Myanmar, a country in Southeast Asia. The Rohingya are treated very poorly. Recently, their situation has gotten worse. 

Last week, the United Nations criticized the government of Myanmar. The United Nations is also known as the U.N. It is made up of representatives from nearly every country. 

Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein works for the United Nations. He fights for the fair treatment of all people. Ra’ad al-Hussein called what is happening to these Muslims "ethnic cleansing." This is when certain people are killed or forced out of a country because of their religion or background. 

Muslim Group Being Pushed Out

Al-Hussein said Myanmar's military is scaring the Rohingya away. Buddhist villagers are helping the government.  These groups are burning Rohingya villages.

The Rohingya Muslims have faced mistreatment for hundreds of years. They are not popular. Still, more than a million Rohingya had lived in part of Myanmar since the late 1970s. 

Refugees Flee Myanmar To Bangladesh

In the past month, close to half of all the Rohingya have escaped. They have gone to Bangladesh. Bangladesh is the country next to Myanmar. When they get to Bangladesh, the Rohingya stay in refugee camps. Refugees are people who had to leave their country because of violence. 

Food is hard to find at the refugee camps in Bangladesh. The people trying to help are tired. It is currently a time of year called Monsoon season. The area is getting a lot of rain. 

People across the world are worried about the Rohingya Muslims. Many people thought Myanmar had become a free country.

Rohingya Not Counted As Citizens 

Myanmar's government doesn't count the Rohingya as citizens. This means they do not enjoy the freedoms others have.

Aung San Suu Kyi is an important leader in Myanmar. She won a Nobel Peace Prize years ago for her efforts to change her country. 

Last week, Suu Kyi was supposed to attend the U.N. General Assembly. This is the yearly meeting of all U.N. members. Instead, she stayed in Myanmar. She gave a speech there. People who support the basic rights of the Rohingya were disappointed. 

For a long time, people in Myanmar did not have many freedoms. That started to change in 2010. The world cheered for Suu Kyi. She spent years working hard to bring a free government to Myanmar. 

President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have visited Suu Kyi in Myanmar. Myanmar had an election in 2015. Most people voted for Suu Kyi. 

Government Power Struggle In Country

Suu Kyi is not president, though. The old government created rules to keep her from having that power.

The military is still in charge of Myanmar. They could replace her if she goes against their plans. 

Soe Win, a 10th-grade teacher, said the armed forces have killed Rohingya Muslims. "We were all watching."

Rohingya families have been crossing the Naf River. It separates the countries of Myanmar and Bangladesh. 

One group gathered on the banks of the Naf. They looked at the smoke rising from the fields they once called home. They are doubtful of what lies ahead.