A young ethnic Rohingya from Myanmar and living in Malaysia, Nur Begum Shamshu Alam, 5, attends her Malay...
A young ethnic Rohingya from Myanmar and living in Malaysia, Nur Begum Shamshu Alam, 5, attends her Malay language class in Kuala Lumpur May 30, 2012. The Rohingya in Myanmar are usually landless as well as stateless, and scratch a living from low-paid casual labor. During the so-called "sailing season" between monsoons, thousands of Rohingya attempt to cross the Bay of Bengal in small, ramshackle fishing boats. Their destination: Muslim-majority Malaysia, where thousands of Rohingya work, mostly illegally. Every year up to 40 villagers head out to sea on Malaysia-bound boats. They each pay about 200,000 kyat, or $250, a small fortune by local standards. But the extended Rohingya families who raise the sum regard it as an investment. Picture taken May 30, 2012. REUTERS/Bazuki Muhammad (MALAYSIA - Tags: SOCIETY POLITICS)