Refugees from Burma starving in Bangladesh

THOUSANDS of Burmese Muslims who have been living illegally in Bangladesh over the last decade as unlisted refugees are fighting a grim battle against starvation and disease.

"We are just waiting for death that will relieve us of all pains," said Kala Miah, 75. The refugees, who fled west Burma's Muslim-majority Arakan state to escape alleged military persecution and find work, are living outside two official government refugee camps in the Cox's Bazar district, 400 kilometres south-east of the capital Dhaka.

Refugees in Damdamia, 80 km from the resort town of Cox's Bazar, said they had no food except for some rice and wheat handed out by local charities every two or three months, and nothing to drink except rain water.