Kaladan
Press
Present Situation of Rohingya Refugees in
Date:
There are more than 20,000 Rohingya refugees in two
refugee camps of Kutupalong and Nayapra
in Cox’s Bazar. They are living in shabby huts. A
room of 12ft X 8ft is provided to each family, irrespective of its size. There
are average 7 members in each family. It is socially uncomfortable, even
socially wrong, to live so many people together in jam-packed. The living
condition in the camps is not satisfactory, injurious to health.
The ration is distributed on weekly and monthly basis. 3kg of rice, 250 grams
of edible oil, 250 grams of dal, 150 grams of sugar,
100 grams of salt, 250 grams of sugi (blended food)
are distributed to each member of the family on weekly basis. 240 kgs of firewood, 3 pieces of soap, 1 litre
of kerosene are distributed to each family on monthly basis. A piece of
clothing is distributed to each member once a year, particularly on the
occasion of Eidul-fitr (an annual festival after the
month of Ramadan).
Rice is the main and only staple food for the refugees. They used to take it
three times a day (breakfast, launch, dinner) and, therefore, the rice is not
enough for most of the refugee families.
Healthcare is now left in the hand of Ministry of Health, Bangladesh (MOH).
When it was entrusted with MSF refugees received enough care, but now they
receive very little. There have been many complaints lodged by the inmates with
the camp in charge about their not receiving medicine and proper treatment.
Many refugees are reported to have been suffering now due to non-availability
of the free medical treatment. Most of them are affected by malaria, TB,
asthma, gastric, skin diseases. Children are vulnerable to pneumonia and other
child diseases. Most of the women are affected by ill health with various
diseases.
The refugee children are deprived of their right to proper education. Now the Concern
is running some primary schools in the refugee camps, which impart informal
education. But all the schools lack facilities, without desks and benches and
other necessary materials. In fact, the refugee children need better education,
qualified and trained teachers. Most of the present teachers are self-taught
and have completed up to level 5,6,7. Each teacher is
paid Taka 250 per month by Concern. The refugees strongly feel concerned about
further studies of their children, They wish that either there should be
separate Refugee Schools or their children be admitted to the local Bangladeshi
schools and colleges.
The refugees have high expectation on UNHCR. But they complain that the UNHCR
leave them unprotected from the harassment of the camp authorities and
injustice they have been facing with. Refugees doubt that UNHCR staffs have
compromised their mandates with the
Refugees are now in fear that those who are vocal and/or are conscious about
their refuge rights will be implicated in various false and fabricated cases.
They have had bad experiences in the past. There are about 80 refugees in
various jails of Cox’s Bazar, Banderban , Rangamati etc., who were arrested from the refugee camps
under criminal charges. Refugees say that almost all cases were false and
fabricated. They further say that it is a part of a design of the authorities
to compel the refugees into accepting the repatriation. There is a fresh report
of arrest of one Mohammad Hussain (50), an inmate of Nayapara camp, on
Repatriation of refugees has stalled since May 2004. In fact, the refugees are
not willing to go back due to continued human rights violations in Arakan. Whatever the condition may be, the refugees expect
that UNHCR could do more for them – welfare, full protection of their
life, honour and dignity, including their children’s
education.
There are about 350,000 undocumented refugees living in various villages, in
addition to those about 8,000 that are living in makeshift camps in Teknaf without any succors from UNHCR and any quarters.
They are living in highly vulnerable condition while the local goons have
frequently attacked them. In spite of that no attention has been given to their
genuine cause and case by
There are some Rohingya leaders and persons who are
political activists and are unable to live in the refugee camps while having no
protection in Bangladesh may be granted refugee status as persons concerned of
UNHCR. According to information, UNHCR has granted this status to many Burmese
refugees in
For more information, please contact at:
Phone: +880 11 227 138
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.kaladanpress.org