April 10, 2026
The Rohingya are an Indigenous people of Arakan, presently known as Rakhine State in Myanmar. Because of their distinct ethnicity and religious identity, the Myanmar government has refused to recognize them as one of the country’s official ethnic groups, instead labeling them as “Bengali” or “illegal immigrants.” Successive governments, including the military regime, have pursued policies that amount to genocide, including stripping the Rohingya of citizenship, subjecting them to violence and ethnic cleansing, and systematically suppressing their history, language, and cultural identity. For decades, the Burmese authorities have advanced a deliberate campaign of cultural erasure aimed at denying the Rohingya’s existence, even excluding the term “Rohingya” from Burmese history and literature. To oppress a people is to suppress their voice and stories.
In this context, the preservation, promotion and celebration of Rohingya literature, history, and cultural identity are vital to enabling the Indigenous Rohingya to affirm their fundamental rights, citizenship, and legitimacy, and to maintain their way of life both in Myanmar and across the diaspora. In response to this continuing cultural erasure of the community, we established “Rasa Books” in Ottawa in 2026.
About Rasa Books
Rasa Books is a multilingual Rohingya publishing house that brings valuable stories and voices of silenced and marginalized writers and thinkers to inform the world about the ongoing annihilation of the Indigenous Rohingya and the military oppression of many others in Myanmar. We print groundbreaking titles in Rohingya, Burmese and English, promoting imagination, knowledge, social and environmental awareness, and respect for humanity and the planet.
Rasa, originally a Sanskrit term meaning “essence,” is ironically equivalent in Rohingya and Burmese. The concept of “Rasa” was widely popular in medieval poetry and literature in Arakan and is still phenomenal in Burmese literature.
Our Mission
We are dedicated to promoting, preserving and celebrating the rich “essence” of Rohingya literature, language, history and cultural identity, while asserting the fundamental rights, citizenship and legitimacy of the Indigenous Rohingya in Myanmar. We aim to encourage the production and presentation of literary arts – fiction, poetry, history, biography, cultural and children education books – that reflect Rohingya and Burmese experiences, cultural values, traditions and histories.
Experts Reflection on Rasa Books
“Stories are one of the most powerful bridges we have. They allow children to see beyond their own world and step into someone else’s with empathy and curiosity. Publishing Rohingya stories is not just about representation; it’s about preserving voices, honoring lived experiences, and creating connections that transcend borders. This work is essential, and I deeply believe it will shape a more understanding and compassionate generation.”
— Raya Rahman, Writer, Co-founder, Guba Books & Director, Rasa Books
“Rohingya cultural vitality depends on the sharing of creative works within the Rohingya community and with a wider audience. The world needs to see the creativity of the Rohingya community and hear accounts of Rohingya experience told by Rohingya themselves. Rasa Books will help Rohingya authors publish works in their own language plus English and Burmese and will bring Rohingya creativity to a global audience.”
— Dr Ronan Lee, Author, Scholar & Director, Rasa Books
“Through Rasa Books, we reclaim a voice genocide tried to erase—a promise that Rohingya stories and the Rohingya language will not only survive, but flourish. From ashes, our literature rises as a living force for generations to come.”
— Mayyu Ali, Poet, Author, Founder & Director, Rasa Books
“From Sri Lanka to Myanmar, Ukraine to Iran and beyond — suppression and violence should not be allowed to silence our voices. Rasa Books emerges with a mandate to be the voice of those who own the stories that must be heard by the entire world. When power tries to erase a people, literature becomes their last border. We publish not merely books, but the evidence of survival.”
— Pramudith D. Rupasinghe, Novelist, Humanitarian & Director, Rasa Books
Community Feedback on Rasa Books
“A new independent literary world, Rasa Book, is internationally available now for Rohingya writers. This is more than an opportunity; it is a long-overdue renaissance. The Rohingya voices that were once silenced by exile and erasure are finally finding a global stage. Let these pages carry not only our stories, but the unbroken spirit of a people, Rohingya.”
—Ro Hefzu, Poet, Writer and Tutor
“This is historic. The materialisation of Rasa Books marks a new dawn for the Rohingya literature and their voices. Now that Rasa Books is an avenue where the unfiltered voice of the Rohingya writers isn’t a problem, the world finally has an opportunity to learn the stories of the otherised Rohingya through their perspectives.”
— Sirajul Islam, Poet, Writer and Human Rights Activist
“Rasa Books is more than a platform—it’s a voice once buried, now learning how to breathe again. Not every revolution shouts; some arrive as quiet pages that rise, turn, and refuse to be buried again.”
— Mohammed Arshad Amin, Poet, Writer and Teacher
“Rasa Books offers hope to unheard Rohingya writers and poets striving to share our own stories with the world. It amplifies our voices and preserves our history, identity, and roots in the face of persecution and erasure. Through it, we affirm our survival and resilience, rising and shining even after being left in the ashes of hardship.”
— Abul Osman, A Rohingya Poet and Author
