Rohingya: The Indigenous People of Arakan
Rohingya are the indigenous ethnic minority of Burma (Myanmar) mainly residing in Arakan (Rakhine) state. The descendants of the ancient inhabitants of Arakan, genealogically linked up with people of Dannavati, Vesali and Chandra to Indo-Arian.
Four million Rohingya population are estimated around the world from which more than 2.5 million are forced to flee and live in diaspora mainly in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, India, Thailand, Indonesia and others.
Rohingya were listed as ethnic group and enjoyed full right of citizenship of Burma even after the independence in 1948 from Britain. Burmese Military government introduced a new law in 1982 which delisted Rohingya from ethnic group and revoked their citizenship.
Rohingya are considered the most persecuted minority in the world. They are made stateless in their own ancestral land, denied citizenship and subjected to systematic persecution for decades.