Rendered Stateless Not Voiceless by Rohingya Refugees

Drawing might not be the first thing on your mind when you are having to create a new life in a foreign country whilst labelled an illegal immigrant, however for Rohingya Refugees living in India drawing provided the opportunity to express their struggle through the medium of grassroots comics. Years of discrimination and persecution led to the mass exodus of Rohingya people from Myanmar to Bangladesh and other neighbouring countries between 2016 and 2017, creating a large-scale humanitarian crisis, much reported by the media although the voices of Rohingya usually left unheard. Grassroots Comics led by World Comics has been creating opportunities for marginalised communities in India and across the world giving a voice to the voiceless, to express their concerns and experiences through the medium of comics. Rendered Stateless Not Voiceless (2020) is one such example by Rohingya Refugees documenting their life stories back in Myanmar as well as their current struggle for survival in India.

This work features in Mangasia: Wonderlands of Asian Comics, a Barbican International Enterprises exhibition, curated by Paul Gravett. Mangasia presents a vivid journey through the art of Comics and visual storytelling across Asia. From its historical roots to the most recent digital innovations, the exhibition looks to popular Japanese ‘Manga’ and beyond, highlighting key creators, characters and publications.