Statement from Refugees International Director for Africa, Asia, and the Middle East Daniel P. Sullivan:
“Refugees International welcomes the announcement that drastic food ration cuts to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh have been avoided. Last minute renewed donor support prevents a worse case scenario. However, broader aid cuts are already negatively affecting refugees, and we remain deeply concerned that failure to renew more than minimal aid will lead to increased hunger, disease, and avoidable deaths.
Earlier this month the World Food Program (WFP) announced that, due to lack of funds, it would be reducing rations for Rohingya refugees by more than half. Refugees International, just back from visiting the camps, warned that this move would be devastating to more than a million refugees. Renewed donor funds, including $73 million for WFP announced by the United States, will maintain rations at near the same levels. However, the United States’ aid freeze and reductions announced by other donors, have already created a more precarious situation in the camps that is likely to continue to deteriorate.”
Refugees International Fellow, Human Rights Advocate and former camp resident Lucky Karim said:
“The avoidance of drastic ration cuts is a life-line to the more than 1 million Rohingya refugees living in the largest refugee settlement in the world. As past smaller cuts have shown, the drastic cut in rations would have accelerated malnutrition, disease, and negative coping mechanisms, including child marriage and human smuggling. But these risks remain and will increase amid ongoing funding shortages.
My community has already seen services for gender-based violence prevention and treatment, for psycho-social support, and for people with disabilities substantially reduced. Five hospitals in the camps had to reduce their services. And hundreds of Rohingya volunteers have been let go, losing their small volunteer stipends that served as vital lifelines. These challenges come as aid groups scramble to shift funds and redouble efforts, but the ability to mitigate the harm will deteriorate over the coming months. Failure to restore more than minimal levels of aid funding will continue to threaten the health and safety of Rohingya refugees. I appreciate and thank the United States for stepping in to respond to the food reduction crisis and request other donor countries to continue funding the much needed lifesaving assistance programs in the camps.”
For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact Etant Dupain at edupain@refugeesinternational.org .