The following email was conducted via email. It was edited for clarity and length.
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About the PhotographersSahat Zia Hero is a documentary photographer, writer, and human rights activist and consultant. He is the founder of Rohingyatographer Magazine. Hero was born in 1994 in Maungdaw Township, Arakan, Myanmar. In 2012, he was studying Physics at Sittwe University but due to the systematic discrimination against the Rohingya, he was excluded from attending his second year in university. In August 2017, he was forced to flee with his family to Bangladesh where he currently lives in the refugee camps. After his arrival, he worked as a team leader for the Danish Refugee Council. He currently divides his time between freelance photography work for various NGOs and international media outlets, managing the magazine project and working at the Rohingya Cultural Memory Centre. His photographs have been published by The Guardian, NBC, Aljazeera, Visual Rebellion Myanmar, The Territorial News, UNHCR, Danish Refugee Council, Norwegian Refugee Council, and Amnesty International. Ro Yassin Abdumonab worked as a schoolteacher in his native village in Myanmar teaching English, physics, and chemistry. He left his university studies when forced to flee to Bangladesh looking for safety in August 2017. Abdumonab now works as a freelance photographer, videographer, translator, fixer, and writer for different news agencies and NGO’s such as The Guardian, Al Jazeera, Reuters, France 24, Washington Post, ABC News, New York Times, The Business Standard, The Diplomat, The Telegraph, The Globe and Mail, Norwegian Refugee Council, The Daily Star, Hindustan Times, The New Humanitarian, Fiji Times, Voices without Borders, Amnesty International, International Affairs, US News, Vice, PBS, DW, Canada Today, Die Ziet, Go Humanity, Literary Hub, Nanummuhwa, Green Left, The Asia Foundation, UNHCR, Haaretz, BBC, Refugees International, Arakan Express, and others. |
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Truth in Photography: Complete the sentence: “Truth in photography is…
Sahat Zia Hero and Ro Yassin Abdumonaf: …when an image carries an inherent reality that speaks for itself.
TiP: In what ways can truth be conveyed in photography?
Hero and Abdumonaf: In different ways. A photo can have a thousand stories to tell. The truth reveals itself when we explore the world around us, portraying people’s lives, nature, and animal life in different ways and describing all the difficulties they face.
TiP: How can a photograph be misleading?
Hero and Abdumonaf: When it is used against the reality of the culture and traditions it portrays and when it is done without the consent of its subjects.
TiP: Could you provide a brief description of the Rohingya massacre?
Hero and Abdumonaf: Villages were savaged and burn, women raped, many people died from gunshots and rocket launchers, mine explosions, and escaping their villages that were set on fire. In the 2017 exodus around 800,000 people was displaced from their homeland. That was the last in a series of exodus since the 60’s. Some Rohingya have been refugees 5 times. Imagine! Facts and figures can be found here:
https://www.unrefugees.org/news/rohingya-refugee-crisis-the-facts/
https://borgenproject.org/seven-facts-about-the-rohingya-genocide/
Sahat Zia Hero and Ro Yassin Abdumonaf: …when an image carries an inherent reality that speaks for itself.
TiP: In what ways can truth be conveyed in photography?
Hero and Abdumonaf: In different ways. A photo can have a thousand stories to tell. The truth reveals itself when we explore the world around us, portraying people’s lives, nature, and animal life in different ways and describing all the difficulties they face.
TiP: How can a photograph be misleading?
Hero and Abdumonaf: When it is used against the reality of the culture and traditions it portrays and when it is done without the consent of its subjects.
TiP: Could you provide a brief description of the Rohingya massacre?
Hero and Abdumonaf: Villages were savaged and burn, women raped, many people died from gunshots and rocket launchers, mine explosions, and escaping their villages that were set on fire. In the 2017 exodus around 800,000 people was displaced from their homeland. That was the last in a series of exodus since the 60’s. Some Rohingya have been refugees 5 times. Imagine! Facts and figures can be found here:
https://www.unrefugees.org/news/rohingya-refugee-crisis-the-facts/
https://borgenproject.org/seven-facts-about-the-rohingya-genocide/
“My name is Shaiful. I am 22 years old and I’m from Thet Chaung village in Maungdaw, Rakhine State, Myanmar. On the night of August 25, 2017, I went fishing to a nearby lake. On my way home, I saw military forces surrounding my village. Some houses were set on fire. I was scared and worried for my parents and siblings. I wanted to help but I was afraid for my own life. A soldier saw me and shot me in the back. I fell down. They thought I was dead. I don’t remember what happened later. When I opened my eyes I found myself bleeding and couldn’t move. My neighbours helped me to cross the river to flee Myanmar. We reached Bangladesh in September and I was taken to hospital for treatment. I want justice for myself and those who were murdered in my community.” —explained Shaiful. © Azimul Hasson
TiP: How has the photography, or lack of photography, of the Rohingya genocide affected the lives of your community?
Hero and Abdumonaf: Photography can raise the voice of the voiceless. Much injustice has been done to our people. Our voice seeks justice, peace, and basic human rights which have been denied for many decades by the brutal military of the government of Myanmar. Photography helps the voiceless to be heard so the world can see our suffering in Myanmar and the refugee camp. Photography is a proof of memory, it can help demand our rights seeking peace and justice.
TiP: What do you hope to accomplish by sharing the photography of Rohingya photographers?
Hero and Abdumonaf: We hope to raise the voice for the voiceless Rohingya people. To advocate for their rights, in the name of peace and justice. We hope our work helps us to return to our homeland with dignity.
TiP: How has displacement affected people’s families, work, and recreation?
Hero and Abdumonaf: The displacement affected thousands of families. Many Rohingya families had a comfortable life in their homeland. Loss of property, land, and access to education are some of the issues that affect them. Our right to work and earn an income is also affected because now we have no proper access to the labor market. We have lost our livelihoods. In Myanmar they could work their own lands and make good income for their families. The recreation aspect in refugee camps is also limited. There are weddings and family events, but our cultural identity is at serious risk, because our cultural practices are no longer in our homeland in Myanmar.
Hero and Abdumonaf: Photography can raise the voice of the voiceless. Much injustice has been done to our people. Our voice seeks justice, peace, and basic human rights which have been denied for many decades by the brutal military of the government of Myanmar. Photography helps the voiceless to be heard so the world can see our suffering in Myanmar and the refugee camp. Photography is a proof of memory, it can help demand our rights seeking peace and justice.
TiP: What do you hope to accomplish by sharing the photography of Rohingya photographers?
Hero and Abdumonaf: We hope to raise the voice for the voiceless Rohingya people. To advocate for their rights, in the name of peace and justice. We hope our work helps us to return to our homeland with dignity.
TiP: How has displacement affected people’s families, work, and recreation?
Hero and Abdumonaf: The displacement affected thousands of families. Many Rohingya families had a comfortable life in their homeland. Loss of property, land, and access to education are some of the issues that affect them. Our right to work and earn an income is also affected because now we have no proper access to the labor market. We have lost our livelihoods. In Myanmar they could work their own lands and make good income for their families. The recreation aspect in refugee camps is also limited. There are weddings and family events, but our cultural identity is at serious risk, because our cultural practices are no longer in our homeland in Myanmar.
“I took a photo of Zaudha crying while looking at what was left of her home. She had returned once the flames had stopped. With the smoke and heat, she was afraid to go down the hill to look for the spot where her home once was. She cried and shouted loudly: ‘Our lives have burnt!’ I didn’t have enough words to express my sadness to her. She was my neighbor, my home was beside her house. It was also destroyed. The smoke was all that was left of our homes.” —Sahat Zia Hero.
Zaudha is 40 years old, like many Rohingya she will remember March 22, 2021 as the day the Great Fire broke out in the refugee camps. The fire came unexpectedly from many sides moving like a storm and turning everything in its path to ashes. 50,000 people lost their homes, and many lives were lost to the fire. © Sahat Zia Hero
Zaudha is 40 years old, like many Rohingya she will remember March 22, 2021 as the day the Great Fire broke out in the refugee camps. The fire came unexpectedly from many sides moving like a storm and turning everything in its path to ashes. 50,000 people lost their homes, and many lives were lost to the fire. © Sahat Zia Hero
TiP: To what extent can photography catalyze social change?
Hero and Abdumonaf: Photography can be a good catalyst and trigger social change by showing the injustice communities suffer around the world. International audiences can sympathize with the different aspects or our cause, culture, traditions, behavior, suffering, livelihoods, and hope for our future.
TiP: In what ways can photography become propaganda?
Hero and Abdumonaf: Photography can be good and bad propaganda. A bad use is when something is portrayed to distort reality, but when photography shows the truth then it supports the culture and traditions of displaced communities like ours.
TiP: What is the attitude of the Myanmar government towards photography? Towards your magazine and exhibitions?
Hero and Abdumonaf: The Myanmar Government might think our photography tells different stories of different people who faced difficulties in Myanmar, but I’m sure they will not accept the truth in telling the world that these images can bring change to the suffering of our people. They are against the truth.
Hero and Abdumonaf: Photography can be a good catalyst and trigger social change by showing the injustice communities suffer around the world. International audiences can sympathize with the different aspects or our cause, culture, traditions, behavior, suffering, livelihoods, and hope for our future.
TiP: In what ways can photography become propaganda?
Hero and Abdumonaf: Photography can be good and bad propaganda. A bad use is when something is portrayed to distort reality, but when photography shows the truth then it supports the culture and traditions of displaced communities like ours.
TiP: What is the attitude of the Myanmar government towards photography? Towards your magazine and exhibitions?
Hero and Abdumonaf: The Myanmar Government might think our photography tells different stories of different people who faced difficulties in Myanmar, but I’m sure they will not accept the truth in telling the world that these images can bring change to the suffering of our people. They are against the truth.
Enose is 64 years old. He had a good life back in Myanmar with the income he earned from fishing. He used to fish everyday. Now a refugee living in the camps, he is not allowed to fish anymore, so he makes fishing nets for people in the host community. One fishing net is worth about 2,000 taka (US $25). “I didn’t go to school but I learned this skill in my early childhood. Now I can support my children so they can go to school and learn a lot so they can shine in their future.” —explained Enose. © Sahat Zia Hero
Absar is 6 years old. He says: “I don’t go to school. I come here everyday to collect plastic bottles from this wasteland. I sell the bottles to a shop in the market to support my family. My father is sick and I have two younger sisters. There is nobody except me to support my siblings and provide for my father’s treatment.” © Sahat Zia Hero
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