A humanitarian crisis may be unfolding among Burma’s Rohingya Muslim minority, but with reporting restrictions in Rakhine State, little more is known. Asia correspondent John Sparks has been there.
The Burmese democracy campaigner, Aung San Suu Kyi, sets off on Sunday for her first trip to America since being freed from 20 years under house arrest.
But while she is now free to travel, others in Burma are still effectively in detention. The Muslim Rohingyas have been described by the United Nations as one of the most persecuted groups in the world.
Three months ago, following an alleged case of rape against a Buddhist girl, fighting between the majority Buddhists and the Rohingyas left tens of thousands of them homeless. Some were moved into refugee camps, while others described allegations of human rights abuses by ethnic Burmese and by the state.
Hundreds of thousands have attempted to make the perilous journey across the waters into neighbouring Bangladesh, with many finding their boats frequently turned back.
They are forced to return to a situation in which they struggle for means to survive, with basic needs such as food or medical services cut off.
But despite political reforms enacted by the Burmese government of President Thein Sein, press censorship and reporting restrictions remain in Rakhine State where the Rohingya Muslims have been based.