SHAMSUDDIN ILLIUS, from Ukhiya
Publication Date: 8 September, 2017 00:00 00 AM
Media: The Independent
Original Link: Twins born to fleeing Rohingya couple in jungle
Epaper Link: Twins born to fleeing Rohingya couple in jungle
Twins were born to a Rohingya couple fleeing atrocities in Myanmar while they were making their way through a hilltop jungle in search of safety.
Khaleda Begum, 19, and Ahmed Ullah, 21, of Choto Gozibeel in Maungdaw had fled their village on August 30 when the Tatmadaw (Myanmar ilitary) burned down their homes.
They took shelter in a nearby jungle at Shilkhali inside Myanmar with three other members of their family.
On August 31, Khaleda’s labour pain started and she gave birth to twin male babies on the wee hours of September 1.
After trekking for seven days on their way to a safe refuge, they reached Kutuplaong in Ukhiya around 11am on Thursday.
Ahmed Ullah had placed his two newborns in baskets strung to both ends of a pole straddling his shoulder. By the time they made it to safety, they were drained and exhausted, having gone without food for two days.
They had survived on dry food until September 3, but ran out of foodstuff and water after that.
“We were very thirsty as we could not drink water. Moreover, we didn’t eat anything for the last two days. How will my babies survive?” Khaleda said.
“The military set our house on fire and local armed people looted our belongings and forced us to leave Myanmar,” said Ahmed Ullah. “We couldn’t give any clothes to our sons, nor could we name them,” he added.
“They were born on thye top of a hill near the border. They were born when we were fleeing—what a fate we have!” he said.
The two babies were too exhausted even to cry.
