Myanmar: Thousands of Rohingya left stateless

(Vatican Radio)  The Arakan Project for the protection of  minorities is reporting a mass exodus of Rohingya Muslims from western Myanmar, with at least 8,000 members of the long-persecuted minority fleeing by boat in less than two weeks.

Myanmar's 1.3 million Rohingya have been denied citizenship and have almost no rights. Attacks by Buddhist mobs have left hundreds dead and 140,000 trapped in camps.

In recent weeks, an aggressive campaign by authorities to officially categorize them as "Bengalis," implying that they are illegal migrants from neighboring Bangladesh, has aggravated their situation.