Why Covering the Rohingya Tragedy Is So Difficult

One of the world's worst humanitarian disasters is unfolding in Myanmar, where persecution of the country's Rohingya minority has led to thousands of deaths and the flight of hundreds of thousands more to neighboring Bangladesh. Compounding the tragedy — which the United Nations refers to as ethnic cleansing — is inability of the media to adequately cover the story, as government officials routinely prevent journalists from accessing the Rohingya area in Myanmar's Rakhine State.

Worse, many Buddhist Burmese refuse to acknowledge what's happening.

"[The Buddhists] don't like [The Rohingya], and don't believe you when you talk about [them]," says Bob Woodruff, an ABC News journalist who has extensively covered the Rohingya story. During a recent visit to Myanmar, which he recounted during a conversation last week with Asia Society Executive Vice President Tom Nagorski, Woodruff interviewed a Buddhist monk who denied that the persecution even existed.

“If you’re saying this never happened, and the government said it’s never happened, then why can’t we go and see?" Woodruff recalled asking the monk. "And we’ve never been able to go and see these places. You just look at that and you understand the truth.”

This evasion has only made Woodruff more determined to cover events in Myanmar, a country whose democratic reforms have backslid in recent years.

"There are so many stories to tell in that region, and we have a lot more to do," he said.

In addition to his comments on Myanmar, Woodruff discussed the current situation in North Korea, reflected on his early career experience in China, and recounted his recovery from being attacked in Iraq during his appearance at Asia Society. Watch the complete video below: