Burma

Muslims around the world will celebrate Eid Al-Fitr next week... surrounded by friends and families.
 
But this year will be another tough celebration for one Rohingya family of 18 people.
 
They left Burma 30 years ago due to religious tensions between Muslim Rohingya and the majority Buddhist.

Muhammad Hanif is the youngest son in this big Rohingya family of 18.

They are now living temporary in the office of the Jakarta Legal Aid institute in the capital Jakarta.

38-years-old Muhammad Hanif left his home in Burma when he was 3 years old.

“We ran away. We were chased by the Buddhist majority and soldiers fired arms at us. Soldiers were attacking Muslims.”

They fled to Malaysia where they lived for three decades.

He worked in a construction site and managed to save some money.

During their stay in Malaysia, they hoped that they would be recognised by the UN refugee body as refugees and sent to Australia... but that didn’t happen.

ALSO WATCH: Malaysia Rohingya Refugees

Desparate, they tried to reach Australia by boat via Indonesia.

On the Island of Sumatra, Hanif met some brokers.

“He asked more than 1,500 US dollars from each of us for taking us from Sumatra to Australia. We can’t afford that; we can only give 900 US dollars each. And I’ve paid him 13 thousand US dollars. That’s all we have left... and he said that he would still help us. We trusted him because he was so nice to us.”

A few months ago, the brokers took Hanif and his family to Bogor, on the oustkirt of Jakarta.

They stayed in a guest room not knowing when they would leave for Australia.

Then one day they were taken to the capital Jakarta.

“We were taken inside a car to a guest house near the Soekarno Hatta international airport. 18 of us were locked inside one room. At first he gave meals regularly, but it didn’t last for so long.”

They spent two months inside one room with limited food supply.

Hanif’s brother-in-law Muhammad Qosim was tortured as the brokers believe they still have some more money.

“I was beaten up and forced to give more money. But we don’t have anything more. We’ve told him several times, but he didn’t believe us so he beat us up. Five or six of them... it was in a dark room with no lights.”

One night, some cleaning staff helped them out and took them to the office for UN refugee body who then gave them official asylum seekers identity cards.

With the help of a local journalist, they have been given refugee at the office of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation – an NGO that provides free legal aid for marginalised people.

Julius Ibrani is from the Foundation.

“They’re human beings whose lives are threatened. It’s the responsibility of our country as part of the global society to help them. We’re also a member of the United Nations and we ratified international covenants from the UN. These Rohingya refugees are citizens of this world.”

ALSO READ: Burma's First Human Rights Film Festival 

But without money or jobs, they now live off other people’s sympathy.

“They bring us some rice and some food for us. I can’t remember that gentleman’s name, but he has been sending us some food for eating sahur. We’re really grateful for that... because he doesn’t insult us as strangers. Indonesian people are nice, they help us like family.”

His niece, 8-month-old Nurma is crying.

“I feel sad... This is a test from God to us, it’s very hard for us. This might not be my biggest test.. but I still feel sad. I feel ashamed to those people who have helped us with some money and food... I really appreciate this.”

Hanif wants to leave his past behind and build a new life in Australia.

“I’d rather die in another country than going back to Burma. I can’t trust any promises or guarantees for me to come back. Australia is still willing to take us. And it’s the nearest option from here. We have three families waiting for us there. My mother’s friends are there already.”