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.

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.

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:

1. Clare Brown

2. Eva Buzo

3. Pat de Brun

4. Elena Franklin

5. Marina Wutholen

6. Cloe West

7. Isteak Ahammed

8. Thomas Brouns

9. Ross Youngman

10. Isabal Todd

11. Corinne Momal-Vanian

12. And many others working behind the scenes from the Amnesty family, Young Activist Summit, Victim Advocates International, Kofi Annan Foundation, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), US Embassy in Dhaka, US Mission to the UN in Geneva, The Bangladesh Government, NYU Office of Global Services, NYU Admissions Office, International House, and many others.

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