These people have faced years of human rights abuses at the hands of the ruling government, including cultural suppression via any means necessary. Their communities are remote and most are only accessible by boat. Yearly flooding makes their lives even more difficult and thwarts any efforts to maintain a ready supply of clean water. Although some villages have schoolhouses, only the larger villages closer to Mrauk U have been able to keep a teacher for any length of time due to the remote nature of the communities.