Since March 2019, Asia Justice and Rights (AJAR) and the Liberation War Museum (LWM) of Bangladesh have been conducting participatory action research with more than 80 women in the Rohingya…
Since March 2019, Asia Justice and Rights (AJAR) and the Liberation War Museum (LWM) of Bangladesh have been conducting participatory action research with more than 80 women in the Rohingya Refugee Camps in Cox’s Bazaar.
Adapting our tools developed as part of our Unlearning Impunity Series, we created a process to share stories and to heal, while building solidarity and peer support among women survivors. Our goals were to raise the voices of women in a way that everyone could participate, irrespective of their education backgrounds, literacy levels, or age groups. To do this, we needed to create a process where activities focused as much on looking forward as on looking back.
AJAR and LWM designed 10 participatory tools to fit the reality and rhythm of life in the camps. Sewing has always been a common past-time for Rohingya women. Based on reflections of their life-stories, we asked the women to sew a panel to express their feelings, hopes, dreams, and memories. From these embroidered panels, we have created three ‘quilts’ bringing those stories together as one collective voice.
Creating these panels is a way for women to talk about their memories of home and what they hold dear, as well as their demands for justice. In the refugee camps, with limited livelihood opportunities, the isolation and trauma of women is widespread. Many of these themes emerged from our discussions, to be depicted beautifully in their embroidery.
Despite the unimaginable sufferings and trauma these women have experienced, they continue to live every day with hope for the future of their children, their community, and themselves. These quilts are just one example of how collective action through art can unite, heal and provide opportunities to learn from each other. We hope the quilts are a way for these women to send a messages that balances the sorrow of the past memories with joy and hope for the future.
Noor
I remember the day when I had to leave my country. During the conflict, we left our country to save our lives. We came to Bangladesh by crossing the river while facing many sufferings. Before that, we passed the jungle secretly and it took several days. It was very hard to leave my beloved Myanmar
Shahanaz
I love flowers. I had a flower garden in home in Myanmar. I had always taken care of it. Because of the conflict, I had to leave everything. I miss my flower garden. I want to have a flower garden again like the one I had before
Yesmin
I lost my mother when I was child. I miss her all of the time . I feel sad when I look at another child’s mother. So I write ‘mother’ in Bangla
Asmida
In Myanmar, I had a garden in front of my house. I remember the garden and I want to show it to everyone through my sewing. My flower garden is a symbol of my old life
Mayasha
I love my country very much. I sew a chicken to remember those that I raised. I hope to return to my country safely. Because of the conflict, I had to leave everything. I’m remembering the days how I raised my pet animals and passed the time in my Myanmar house
Jubaida
This is my house in Myanmar and the lovely garden in front of my house. There was a haystack area for my cows. The heart with an arrow indicates how much I love my house and country
Hamida
I am Hamida from Myanmar. This is my flower garden where beautiful flowers bloom and the butterflies come everyday, which makes me happy. But I had to leave my house and garden because of conflict. The garden is the symbol of my memory
Habiba
This is my hope, like a flower. There is my little son. I have a hope for him how he can go back to Myanmar… It makes me remember how my mother taught me [sewing] in my childhood. LWM/AJAR helped me realize this
Toslima
I had a flower garden in my Myanmar. I sew the flowers of my garden. Because of the conflict, I had to come to Bangladesh and live in the camp where there is no garden. I miss my garden and old days
Minara
There is a table and books. A student is learning and studying. The picture reflects my hope that my son can study one day in our own school
Habiya
I love flowers. This is the flower of my flower garden at my home in Myanmar. But there is no garden in the camp. I’m remembering my old garden and country
Robida
Near my house there was a primary school. In the school, the military arrested and gathered people and beat them
Asma
I love my home very much. I sew my small house in Myanmar. I want to fly like a butterfly and go back to my country
Rokiya
I had a house in Myanmar and there was a garden in front of it. The house symbolises the memories I had to leave behind
Nur
In front of my house, there were trees and many birds would visit. I made this ‘sewing’ to remind me. There was a water point behind my house. We spent our time playing in our house compound
Mojuna
My house was burned down. I remember my house and I hope I can go back to my homeland. My hope is that I can keep hold of my memories, that I can rebuild my home and my children can play there. The children are there
Hasina
My name is Hasina. This is my house compound. There was a big tree where birds would rest. Many fishes were swimming down the river. I was playing in my house compound
Asma
This is my house and flower garden in Myanmar. I had to leave everything and live in the camp. These are the symbols of my memory.
Rofika
This flower is not my favorite flower but rather a symbol of my imagination that our country was once like a flower. Now our region is destroyed. I want to rebuild this region better like a flower
Jubaira
I wish to have a sewing machine for my livelihood and support my family. I also want to learn computer skills for myself. I hold flowers in my sewing with the hope that my life would be like these beautiful flowers
Senoara
I remember the power of my hands and all of the drawing and designing that I can do by my hands.
Showmila
I am Maysha from Myanmar. These are my pets and I loved to spend time with them in Myanmar. My life was beautiful with my family but I had to leave everything and come to the Rohingya Camp. I want to go back to my old life and spend the rest of the time living life happily.
Fatema
The bird is a symbol of myself. I want to fly and return to my home. While I was sewing this, I was reminded of how I had passed my time by sewing on handkerchiefs, pillow covers and dresses at my old house.
Toslima
I remember the power of my hands and all of the drawing and designing that I can do by my hands.
Maysha
I am Maysha from Myanmar. These are my pets and I loved to spend time with them in Myanmar. My life was beautiful with my family but I had to leave everything and come to the Rohingya Camp. I want to go back to my old life and spend the rest of the time living life happily.
Shomshun
The bird is a symbol of myself. I want to fly and return to my home. While I was sewing this, I was reminded of how I had passed my time by sewing on handkerchiefs, pillow covers and dresses at my old house.
Chekufa
I was 7 months pregnant when I left Myanmar. It took many days to come to Bangladesh. I had to walk through the jungle then cross the river by boat. I saw many people with their cows leave Myanmar. They did not have any food to eat, and had to eat banana leaves to survive. I had come on this journey with my children and others fleeing into Bangladesh. This is my journey from Myanmar to the Rohingya camp, Bangladesh.
Osmida
I draw a picture of myself now living in the camp, and on the other side of the river is my old house and cow in Myanmar. This is my river of life. I remember all of the problems I have faced on my journey to Bangladesh.
Minara
At an early age, women have been denied education or had to stop going to their school. As a result, the majority of Rohingya women remain uneducated or illiterate. My hope is for ‘Education for Women’.
Lucke
The military bombed my house. In 2017, I was separated from my parents in a crowd of people fleeing Myanmar to Bangladesh. I live in the camp with my aunty. I still do not know where my parents are. I have written here what I studied in Myanmar. I want to go to school and learn English but I cannot afford to go. In camp, we can only go to school up to class 5. While drawing this, I remembered my parents.”
Ruksana
I hope to have the opportunity of education for women, national identity card and justice.
Jubaira
After my mother died, I had to live with my step mother who abused and tortured me. Now, I live in the house of the leader of my community, but I hope to have my own house where I can live peacefully.
Jannat
I draw a sewing machine to symbolise the source of livelihood for many women here. I hope to learn more sewing and how to use a computer.
Minara
I miss my school life. I used to go to school in Myanmar close from my house. I sew the memories of my school and playing with everyone.
Minara
I remember the days how I would study with my friends in my house and my garden in Myanmar. I wish to go back to my country.
Jannat
These are the sources of livelihood. I want to learn computer and sewing for my future so that I can be independent.
Rokiya
When the war started, I had just finished building my new house. I had to leave it behind and come to Bangladesh. I miss my house very much.
Hamida
In Myanmar, I had a house and trees next to it. The cars outside of house belong to the Myanmar military. I miss my home very much.
Kosheda
This is my house. The Military came to my house and destroyed everything. The person in the house is my father who was tied up by the Military, brutally killed and then they burned his body. I miss my house and country. I hope to go back to my country
Subeda
This is my river of life. This is my old house. I am from Myanmar where I attended school up to class 9. I have 4 brothers and 3 sisters, we all lived together in the house and we had lots of land in my country. To make a living, my family cultivated many crops and raised domestic animals. I faced many challenges on my journey coming to Bangladesh.
Asmida
I miss my home in Myanmar. I love my country very much and hope to return.
Shahena
I have dream to go back to my country and want to live in a peaceful environment where there will be a garden in front of my house.
Azizda
I am from near the Bangladesh border, I was staying with my mother because my father ran away to Malaysia. I have 9 siblings. We were making a living by cultivating our land in Myanmar. My house was burned down by the military, so we had to run away to Bangladesh. I love my house and trees. I miss my house and I want to go back my country and hope to make a house in my country again.
Hasina
I love my homeland and my home. I am not happy in the camp, I want to go back home.
Kolima
I really miss my home in Myanmar. So I decided to sew the words ‘In our Myanmar’ with my house.
Yesmin
I am from Myanmar. I lived with my husband and 2 daughters and 2 sons. I had a big house in Myanmar and had many domestic animals (cows, goats, hens). We had been cultivating our own land. My husband had a job with Red Cross in Myanmar. I studied up to class 9. When the military came to our area and fired everywhere, we ran away with our children to the jungle where we waited until the fire was out, but we heard the military burned down our house. We came to Bangladesh on 11 September 2017. I drew a flower garden, my house and my daughter’s picture at the time when she went to school.
Fatema
My one leg is limp, I have no income earning member in my family. I want to have a sewing machine for livelihood and go back to my house.
Alkama
I love my house and there were trees in my house. I want to have my own house.
Jannat
I want to build a house where I can live peacefully without intervention. I don’t like camp life, so I want my own house and a garden.
Habiya
I am from Myanmar. When I was 6 years old I attended Madrasa, I never went to school. I had a house and land in Myanmar. I had been cultivating my land for a living, until the military burnt down my house. I had a flower garden in my house, I love flowers very much, so I sew a flower. I want to go back my house.
Jannat
I want to build a house where I can live peacefully without intervention. I don’t like camp life, so I want my own house and a garden.
Jubaida
This is my home with my mother in Myanmar. Now I live with my mother in the camp.
Habiba
I love my country very much and want to show this by sewing a map. I want to go back my homeland.
Yesmin
I am from Myanmar. I lived with my husband and 2 daughters and 2 sons. I had a big house in Myanmar and had many domestic animals (cows, goats, hens). We had been cultivating our own land. My husband had a job with Red Cross in Myanmar. I studied up to class 9. When the military came to our area and fired everywhere, we ran away with our children to the jungle where we waited until the fire was out, but we heard the military burned down our house. We came to Bangladesh on 11 September 2017. I sew my house, my coconut and mango tree. I miss everything that I had to leave behind.
Shanas
I am survivor of genocide. I fled to Bangladesh on 25th August 2017, when I became a refugee. We want justice and rights. We want a safe zone under UN protection. We want gender and race equality, we want freedom and liberty.
Mor
I remember how the military had come to our village by their military cars. They burnt the houses and land. I feel traumatized to remember those days.
Tosmin
I miss my house and trees that I grew in my homeland.
Rokiya
I made a house by my own hand, but the military burned my house down. I miss my house very much.
Yesmin
There was a house and coconut tree in Myanmar. I remember how the military burned down the houses and tortured the people. I am missing my house.
Baluwarkato
I am from Myanmar. I had a house and land in Myanmar. I farmed my own land and there was a garden in front of my house. I miss my house very much, I am very sad so I sew myself crying. I want to go back to Myanmar.
Johura
This is my story how I came to Bangladesh. When I came to Bangladesh, I was pregnant and faced many troubles. This is my story. I was born in Myanmar and went to school there. I had attended class up until 2012. In 2014, I became a school teacher and got married. I have 2 children. I lived in my home happily with my family. But we had to leave our home and country due to the conflict. I came to the Rohingya camp in 2017. I want to show my journey to everyone so I sew ‘My History Johura’.
Roksana
This is my journey from Myanmar to Bangladesh. I lived in Myanmar but had to come in Bangladesh due to conflict. I along with many people came to Bangladesh by boat. I saw many people were running to save their lives.
Seno Ara
This is my story. I want to show my journey from childhood to present to everyone. It’s my house where I lived happily with my family. I used to attend school with my friends. But the Myanmar government took away our education rights. I also played with my friends and went to the market. I was happy in Myanmar. One day the military came to our house and attacked us. I, along with many people still left in Myanmar, had to hide in the bushes to save our life. The journey took 15 days from Myanmar to Bangladesh, without food. Now, I live in the Rohingya Camp, Bangladesh.
Yesmin
I am Yesmin from Myanmar. This is my house where I used to live with my family – my husband and 4 children. We had land that we farmed to make a living. One day the military came to our village and fired everywhere, they also burned down our house and destroyed everything. We ran away with my family into the jungle and waited until the military had gone. Later on, we came to Bangladesh on 11 September 2017.
Fatema
I am from Myanmar. Now, I live in the camp with my old parents and one sister. One of my legs is disabled and I am the only earning member of my family. I came from a poor family, and I supported my family by sewing cloth in Myanmar. I want a sewing machine to continue supporting them. I draw my hand as symbol of myself and the strength of my family. I do almost everything by hand and I feel that my hand is an important part. I write ‘ABC’ and ‘Teacher’ as a symbol of education, ‘Tailor’ as I am the supporting member of my family, ‘Cook’ as I am doing house chores, and finally ‘Artist’ as I can draw.
Morium
This is my school. One day, the Military came to our school and suddenly burned it down. Everyone was running here and there. I could not forget that day.
Morium
This is my school. One day, the Military came to our school and suddenly burned it down. Everyone was running here and there. I could not forget that day.
Seno Ara
After the military burnt my house, I came to Bangladesh by crossing the river. I miss my country very much. This is the period while I crossed the river from Myanmar to Bangladesh. The military burned our houses, so we had to run away with our family. I saw many people screaming and running. I also saw dead bodies in the river during my journey. We didn’t want to, but we had had to leave our country. I want to go back to my country with my family.
Zeya
I love my country, it is in my heart. The broken heart indicates that our all rights have been taken away. We want our rights back.
Hamida
I lived in Myanmar. The military had come to our village and fired everywhere. We had to run away to survive. I had seen many people running to the forest, some went towards the mountains, some were nearer to the river. I sew what I remember.
Shahana
This is the scenario of my village in Myanmar. My house was next to the main road. There were paddy fields and a river. I remember the day when military came to our village and burned my house and started shooting everywhere. I had to leave everything. I miss my homeland.
Minara
I had a beautiful house and garden in Myanmar. The military came to my house and burned everything. I had to come to Bangladesh in 2017 with my family members. Now we live in the Rohingya camp, Bangladesh, altogether. But we want to go back to our country.
Mor
This is my village in Myanmar. The military destroyed our village and burned down houses. People were running from every direction. I wonder when I will be able to see my village again.
Nur Nahar
This is my house. There was a coconut tree beside it. The military shot a long shell on my house and burnt it down. People were scared, screaming, crying and running everywhere. I saw many people crossing the border by boat and climbing the mountain. Many dead bodies were floating over the river during my journey from Myanmar to Bangladesh.
Khushida
I am from the Moon Group. This is my school where I learnt ‘A, B, C, D, E,…’ There was a playground where children would play. This is my memory. I hope to get back our right to education and for our children to go to school in Myanmar again.
Jomila
I want to be a doctor. I want to serve the people, especially those less fortunate. So, I sew a hospital and me as doctor taking care of the patients.
Nore Zeya
The Myanmar government has taken away our rights, tortured us and killed our people. We faced discrimination everywhere. At last, they forced us to leave our country. Now, we live in the Rohingya Camps in Bangladesh.I sew scales as symbol of justice. We want Justice.
Osmida
I draw my river of life from past to present. I had a house and tree in Myanmar but had to leave everything behind after the military tortured us. I will never forgot my house, my country. I have faced many troubles coming to Bangladesh.
Asma
I had a house in Myanmar but had to leave everything behind after the military tortured us. I will always remember my past life. I, along with my family have faced many troubles coming to Bangladesh. We want to go back home with full safety and security.
Shayka
I had a house and chicken in Myanmar, but had to leave everything behind. My memories of my home and country will stay with me forever. I miss my home and my domestic animals. I want to go back home.
Seno Ara
I lived in Myanmar when the military fired on our home. I remember the day I was running from the shots. They burnt my house and destroyed everything.
Seno Ara
The Myanmar military shot a gun at my house and burnt it down, I lost my house that day. The two flowers are symbolic of my hope. I have a hope that our life in the future will be shining like flowers.
Fatema
I had my house, trees, cows in Myanmar. The military tortured us and made us leave everythingbehind I came to Bangladesh by river and faced many difficulties.
Kushida
This is my house where I had a beautiful garden. I was happy with my family. But the military killed my father, burnt my house and destroyed everything so had to leave it all behind. I want to return back to my home.
Halada
We are united. We live together. We want to get our rights. Unity is our strength. This is my hope.
Razuma
I lived in Myanmar with my 3 sons and 2 daughters. I raised cows, goats and hens. I draw my hand because I love to sew flowers, and have taken care of my family with my hands.
Asma
I had a beautiful house and garden. The military came to my house and burnt everything. We were running in all directions to save our lives. I could never forget that day. I want to show everyone that the military burnt my house.
Toyoba
This is my home where I lived happily with my family. My children would play wherever they wanted. The flower garden and trees gave us peace and clarity. But we had to leave everything behind due to the conflict. I wonder when we will go back to my country. I miss my home and garden.
Shamima
These are the stories of victims – ‘Victims’ Death Scene’. I saw many dead bodies floating in the river and on the roads. The whole place was very scary. I want justice by sewing the stories of victims with my own hands.
Ruksana
I was from Myanmar. I lived with my mother and grandparents. My father left us after running away to India with a new wife. Now, I stay with my family in the camp. I pass the time by sewing on pillow covers and doing house chores with my hands. My hand sybolises the support I give to my family.
Subeda
This is my house in Myanmar. My life was as beautiful as a flower. Now, it is just a memory. There is nothing left to lose. But there is hope in my heart that one day I will return to my home where I lived happily with my family. I hope to get justice too so I sew ‘Bissar’ [Justice].
Yesmin
I sew my home in Myanmar. I had to leave my house when the Military attacked us. I saw my house on fire. I miss my home and hope to return one day.
Asma
This my journey from Myanmar to the Rohingya Camp. I came to the camp by river with other people from my country. We all faced many difficulties. I don’t want to live in the camp for the rest of my life. It’s my hope to return to my country. So I sew the words ‘I want to go my house. We want to get our native status when we return to our home’.
Hamida
I lived in Myanmar with my parents. I had a house and flower garden, but the military burnt it all down. I sew my burning house. I left in 2017 and came to Rohingya camp.
Johura
This is my story how I came to Bangladesh. When I came to Bangladesh, I was pregnant and faced many troubles. This is my story. I was born in Myanmar and went to school there. I had attended class up until 2012. In 2014, I became a school teacher and got married. I have 2 children. I lived in my home happily with my family. But we had to leave our home and country due to the conflict. I came to the Rohingya camp in 2017. I want to show my journey to everyone so I sew ‘My History Johura’.
Jomila
I was born in Bangladesh. I love Bangladesh, so I sew the flag of Bangladesh. In this present moment, I consider myself as a boat floating in the river, I don’t know what will become of our future. I don’t like living in the camp and I want my own house.
Shayka
I draw my memory of my home and flower garden in Myanmar. I would love to spend time in my flower garden and give food to the chickens. My hope is to return to my home.
Dildar
I sew my memory. The military fired on my people, killed my family members and destroyed everything. They raped and injured me. I ran away with my one daughter, who luckily survived,from Myanmar to the Rohingya camp in Bangladesh. That day was a nightmare for me.
Jesmin
I lived with my family in Myanmar where I worked our land. I studied up to class 4 and grew up with my 12 brothers and sisters. I sew my past to present life; how we grew up in Myanmar, used to go school and spend time with friends. Then one day, we had to leave our country because of conflict. We came to Bangladesh with other people of our country by boat. I don’t like camp life and hope to return to my homeland.
Noora
This is my beautiful town with houses, gardens, schools, Madrasas. Everyone was happy. Children were playing everywhere. The military fired on our town, destroying everything and we had to leave our country. We came to Bangladesh in 2017. I don’t like camp life. I miss my country very much. It is my hope to go back my country.
