Arakan Watch, June 2, 2023:
The United Nations United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) dealt Burmese Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh a new round of deep cuts in food rations, from US$12 per month several months ago to just $8 a month, building pressure to return to dangerous conditions in Burma/Myanmar, according to UN News.
It is likely pressuring the Rohingya to be standby to return to Burma without their rights alike previous repatriation of Rohingya in 1978 and 1991-92, said a refugee activist from the camp in condition of anonymity for his security reason.
On the other hand, the UN special rapporteurs Olivier De Schutter warned that the cuts will have the “devastatingly predictable” consequence of “spiking rates of acute malnutrition, infant mortality, violence, and even death.” Some refugees, they said, might be compelled to “risk their lives at sea, [rather] than to face hunger and even death in the camps.”
These food ration cuts, along with escalating restrictive measures imposed by Bangladesh authorities and violence in the squalid, overcrowded refugee camps, are increasing pressure on the refugees to repatriate. This is not the first time cuts off in food rations have accompanied other pressures on Rohingya refugees to leave.
On the other side, a Rohingya economic expert, Mr. Rahman has lauded to make an arrangement to employ half a million of Rohingya refugees in certain economic sector which can contribute US$ 8 to 14 billions to the world. He has already written letter to the chief of the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) for the establishment of independent livelihood programme for the Rohiggya through skilled development. ##
