The horrific persecution of the Rohingya people, an ethnic and religious minority in Burma (Myanmar), has recently intensified. Since August 25, 2017, Burmese forces have burned entire Rohingya villages to the ground, soldiers have indiscriminately massacred Rohingya men, women, and children, and an estimated 687,000 people have fled on foot or by boat to refugee camps in Bangladesh, usually a trek of several weeks from their burned villages. World leaders have called these atrocities "ethnic cleansing."
As Jews, we understand this tragedy all too well, and we cannot remain silent while mass murder and displacement take place. We must act now to ensure the survival, safety and dignity of the Rohingya people.
AJWS is standing by the Rohingya people, offering immediate and longer-term humanitarian aid—including food and water—to refugees who have fled across the border into Bangladesh. We are also supporting Rohingya human rights activists in Burma and around the world in their efforts to stop military violence against the Rohingya community.
We will stay the course to ensure that the Rohingya people survive this onslaught of genocidal violence and are able to live with dignity and human rights.
*If we receive donations in excess of funds needed for Rohingya humanitarian aid, please know they will be used to support AJWS’s work worldwide to help communities recover from disasters, alleviate poverty and fight injustice.