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Mohammed Islam is among the hundreds of thousands forced to flee to neighbouring Bangladesh
A Rohingya refugee living in an overcrowded camp in Bangladesh is heaping "heartfelt thanks" on Canada for declaring the Myanmar military's actions against his people a genocide.
The emotional show of gratitude by 28-year-old Mohammed Islam was captured by a film crew working in the camp and shared with CBC.
Islam was responding to last week's motion, unanimously adopted by MPs from all parties, that formally condemns the atrocities against the Muslim minority population as crimes against humanity.
"We have nobody to hear, to solve our problems. Finally the Canadian government declared that my government has committed genocide against the Rohingya people," he said.
"Thanks, from the bottom of our hearts."
Mohammed Islam, left, and Abdul Rahaman speak to a Polish film crew at a Rohingya refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Islam thanked Canada for declaring the actions against Rohingya a genocide.
In addition to his expression of "heartfelt thanks" to Canada and the U.K., Islam conveyed another message: "Please don't abandon us."
John Lyotier is a Canadian working with the film crew, which is putting together a video about how technology can help refugees. He said he was surprised the news of Canada's genocide declaration had made its way into a refugee camp — a place he'd expected to be an informational "black hole."
Islam's unprompted reaction, he said, made him recognize the significant impact that the House of Commons motion had on refugees feeling isolated and forgotten by the rest of the world.
"They are paying attention to what the world's doing, and sometimes all it takes is someone standing up for what is right, and that makes them feel not so alone," Lyotier said in an interview from Bangladesh. "What I think that gave them was hope, and hope is a very precious commodity."
Marek Osiecimski is the Polish director of the video crew, which is due out next spring. He said Islam's plea for the world to remember the Rohingya was a profound moment for him.
"I think it's a great example for the rest of the world. It's a great example for my country, which is still reluctant to do what we should, I think, on helping refugees in Europe," he said. "I really felt proud of Canadians to hear that their Parliament decided to recognize that what happened with the Rohingya people was a genocide."
A Rohingya refugee living in an overcrowded camp in Bangladesh is heaping "heartfelt thanks" on Canada for declaring the Myanmar military's actions against his people a genocide.
The emotional show of gratitude by 28-year-old Mohammed Islam was captured by a film crew working in the camp and shared with CBC.
Islam was responding to last week's motion, unanimously adopted by MPs from all parties, that formally condemns the atrocities against the Muslim minority population as crimes against humanity.
"We have nobody to hear, to solve our problems. Finally the Canadian government declared that my government has committed genocide against the Rohingya people," he said.
"Thanks, from the bottom of our hearts."
Mohammed Islam, left, and Abdul Rahaman speak to a Polish film crew at a Rohingya refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Islam thanked Canada for declaring the actions against Rohingya a genocide.
In addition to his expression of "heartfelt thanks" to Canada and the U.K., Islam conveyed another message: "Please don't abandon us."
John Lyotier is a Canadian working with the film crew, which is putting together a video about how technology can help refugees. He said he was surprised the news of Canada's genocide declaration had made its way into a refugee camp — a place he'd expected to be an informational "black hole."
Islam's unprompted reaction, he said, made him recognize the significant impact that the House of Commons motion had on refugees feeling isolated and forgotten by the rest of the world.
"They are paying attention to what the world's doing, and sometimes all it takes is someone standing up for what is right, and that makes them feel not so alone," Lyotier said in an interview from Bangladesh. "What I think that gave them was hope, and hope is a very precious commodity."
Marek Osiecimski is the Polish director of the video crew, which is due out next spring. He said Islam's plea for the world to remember the Rohingya was a profound moment for him.
"I think it's a great example for the rest of the world. It's a great example for my country, which is still reluctant to do what we should, I think, on helping refugees in Europe," he said. "I really felt proud of Canadians to hear that their Parliament decided to recognize that what happened with the Rohingya people was a genocide."
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