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M. Sawyeddollah

The 1st Rohingya: From Genocide to New York University (NYU)

From the shadows of genocide to the vibrant streets of New York City, my journey has been one of resilience and determination. This story chronicles my struggle against the systemic barriers that sought to deny my people basic rights and my unwavering commitment to securing a future where our people can thrive with dignity and justice.


During the 1st visit to Washington Square Park (August 22, 2024)

Photo: During the 1st visit to Washington Square Park (August 22, 2024)


My name is Maung Sawyeddollah, also known as Sayed Ullah. I am a Rohingya from Myanmar, a member of a community that has faced unimaginable horrors, including genocide, at the hands of the Myanmar government. The extremist regime systematically erased our rightful history, denied us citizenship, and stripped us of basic human rights—freedom of movement, freedom of expression, access to higher education, and more—by imposing discriminatory laws specifically targeting the Rohingya.


In 2017, a brutal wave of violence in Arakan, Myanmar, forced over 730,000 Rohingya, including myself and my family, to flee our homeland. Since then, we have sought refuge in the Cox’s Bazar refugee camp in Bangladesh.


Knowing the human rights violations, injustice, oppression, discrimination, war crimes, and genocide suffered by our people in Myanmar, I felt a deep responsibility as a Rohingya youth to act. In December 2019, I established the Rohingya Student Network (RSN) to empower our community and advocate for positive change in our lives.


The Myanmar government denied Rohingya the right to pursue higher education, a restriction that has been in place since 2012. After arriving in Bangladesh, the barriers to education persisted, as Bangladesh is also unable to provide higher education to Rohingya students. Additionally, there are no organizations working to help Rohingya students go abroad to access higher education, and we face severe limitations in traveling outside Bangladesh.


Recognizing these challenges, I made it my mission to break these barriers. I wrote letters to relevant authorities in Bangladesh, humanitarian organizations, and educational institutions, urging them to ensure access to higher education for Rohingya students. I also organized campaigns and published articles to raise awareness about the importance of education for our community.


Despite my efforts, when I was admitted to a university in Bangladesh, I was faced with a heartbreaking ultimatum: conceal my identity as a Rohingya and study as a Bangladeshi, or forfeit my education. This was a compromise I could not make, as my commitment to protecting the Rohingya identity and ensuring equal rights and dignity for our people is unwavering.


Determined to pursue higher education abroad—a goal that many deemed impossible—I embarked on a journey that involved three critical stages: securing admission, obtaining financial aid, and traveling to the university. After applying to 147 universities online, I received several offers, including one from New York University (NYU). The remaining challenges were securing financial aid and physically reaching NYU.

Thanks to my activism, including being a finalist for the Kofi Annan Next Generation Democracy Award 2023, a laureate of the Young Activist Summit 2023, and a focal case in Amnesty International’s Write for Rights campaign, I was fortunate to connect with many incredible individuals who supported my journey. With their help, I"m trying to secure funding for my studies and successfully travel to New York to begin my education at NYU with a student visa, despite not having a passport.


During the 1st visit to the School of professional studies, NYU. (August 22, 2024)

Photo: During the 1st visit to the School of professional studies, NYU. (August 22, 2024)


I am profoundly grateful to Allah SWT for this opportunity, and I extend my heartfelt thanks to my parents, family, friends, relatives, and well-wishers who encouraged me to persevere. I am especially thankful to the following individuals and organizations, without whose support this journey would not have been possible:



Today, I am residing at International House in New York and pursuing a degree in Social Science with a concentration in International Studies at NYU.


More about me: sawyeddollah.wordpress.com More about RSN: ro-student.net

2,154 views9 comments

9 Comments


Guest
Sep 26

So proud of you! Such a long hard road you are on; I admire your perseverance. (I have one small request - could you make the font of your blog black instead of light grey - it is very hard for my old eyes to read the light grey. Thanks for considering this!)

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Guest
Sep 26

I wonder if you will be allowed to tell the (Muslim) truth about the Rohynga genocide by Burma at the NYU that prohibits expressing the (Muslim) truth about the Palestinian genocide. by Israel.


Maybe you may because you’re not a Palestinian and not a victim of the Zionist/Israeli genocide.

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Guest
Sep 26

M. Sawyeddollah

Ii am happy you’re free at last and able to study.

Will you be able to express the truth about genocide against your Muslim people at NYU where students are disciplined to not express the truth about the Palestinian people?

Maybe you may, because “your” genociders are not the Zi😡nists/Israel. Criticizing ‘’Israel’by being Anti Zi😡nist is a crime in the US, falsely called “Antisemitism”, an accusation you will be spared of except when you solidaricize with Palestine.

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Guest
Sep 17

Congratulations! What a wonderful story of hope. I pray you do well, continue to advocate, and that many others are able to follow in your path!

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Guest
Sep 01

I'm so proud of you keep doing it 💪

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