Al-Azhar Warns of Humanitarian Tragedy for Rohingya
The Al-Azhar Observatory for Combating Extremism said the World Food Program plans to reduce its food aid to Rogingya refugees in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar, el-Balad News reported.
It added that the WFP would reduce the value of its food assistance to $10 per person from $12 starting next month.
The WFP said it is forced to cut back its lifesaving assistance for all Rohingya living in the camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, starting on March 1.
This is while experts warn that such a move will have grave consequences for hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees living in camps in Bangladesh.
The Al-Azhar Observatory for Combating Extremism reminded world countries of the sufferings of some one million Rohingya people in Bangladesh, noting that they have been facing various kinds of plights over the past 6 years.
Unlike other vulnerable groups, the Rohingya have limited employment opportunities in camps in Bangladesh, relying almost entirely on humanitarian assistance to meet their food and other essential needs.
With the support of donors and partners, WFP has been providing food, nutrition and other critical assistance to Rohingya men, women and children since their exodus from Myanmar in 2017.
Today all Rohingya – nearly 1 million of them – receive food assistance via vouchers currently valued at US$12 per person per month. Families can choose from over 40 dry and fresh food data-x-items at WFP outlets throughout the camps.
Despite concerted humanitarian efforts, 45 percent of Rohingya families are not eating a sufficient diet and malnutrition has been widespread in the camps.
The Global Acute Malnutrition rate for children stands at 12 percent – just below the 15 percent WHO ‘Emergency’ threshold but still categorized as ‘Serious’. Some 40 percent of children have stunted growth and 40 percent of pregnant and breastfeeding women are anaemic - all this is before the ration cut.
The Rohingya are a Muslim people from mainly Buddhist Myanmar, where they have long suffered repression.
Since a crackdown by Myanmar's military in 2017, around one million have been forced into Bangladesh, UN authorities estimate.
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