Miseries of Rohingya Refugees

On August 25,2017 , an outbreak of violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State forced hundred of

thousand of Rohingya people to flee their homes .Five years latter ,over one million stateless

Rohingya remain in temporary shelter away from .Over 925,000(more then half of whom are

children ) have spent the last half decade on narrow strip of hilly land below COX’S BAZAR ,

Bangladesh .

This isn’t an anniversary to celebrate, especially as the plight of the Rohingya – despite being

one of the largest refugee crises today – has remained largely absent from headlines since the

initial attacks in 2017.Here are five things you need to know about the Rohingya Crisis in 2022 .

Ensuring that Rohingya refugees have educational opportunities , access to health care and

services, clean water and sanitation ,as well as we have access to livelihood opportunities which

will ensure that the refugees are equipped and ready to return to life of dignity in their homeland

. Discriminatory policies of Myanmar’s government since the late 1970s have compelled

hundreds of thousand Muslim Rohingya to flee their homes in predominantly Buddihst country .

Most have crossed by land into Bangladesh ,while others Have taken to sea to reach Indonesia

,Malaysia and Thailand .

Beginning in 2017,renewed violence , including reported rape , murder , and arson , triggered an

exodus of Rohingya , as Myanmar’s security forces clamied they were carrying out a campaign

reinstate stability in the country’s western region .THE United Nations has said that those forces

showed “Genocidal intent ,” and international pressure on the country’S elected leaders to end

the repression continues to rise .

The Myanmer government has effectively institutionalized discrimination against the ethinc

group through restrictions on marriage , family planning , employment , education ,religious

choice , and freedom of movement . For example , Rohingya couples in the northern towns of

Maungdaw and Buthidaungy are only allowed to have two children . Rohingya must also seek

permission to marry ,which may require them to bribe authorities and provide photography of the

bride without headscarf and groom with clean – shaven face , practices that conflict with Muslim

customs . To move to a new home or travel outside their township ,Rohingya must gain

government approval .

Moreover ,Rakhine State is Myanmar’s least developed state with a poverty rate of 78 percent ,

compared to the 37.5 percent of national average , according to World Bank eastimates .

Widespread poverty , poor infrastructure, and a lack employment opportunities in Rakhine have

exacerbated the cleavage between Buddhist and Muslim Rohingya . This tension is depended by

religious differences that have at times erupted into conflict .Most Rohingya have sought refuge

in nearby Bangladesh which has limited resources and land to host refugees ,More then nine

hundred thousand Rohingya refugees are in the country , according to the UN refugee agency .

Many live in crowded camps in Cox’s Bazar district , now home to the world’s largest refugee

camp . Nearly four hundred thousand children in the camps lack access to education , since

teachers are banned frime using both Bangladeshi and Myanmar curricula in the camps and

Rohingya children are barred from enrolling in school out side the camps .At the same time , the

risk of disease outbreak in camps in high , with health organizations warning of possible

outbreak of measles , tetanus , diphtheria and acute jaundice syndrome .More then 60 percent of

the available water supply in refugee camps in contaminated , increasing the risk of spread of

communicable and water borne diseases . Some refugees turend to smugglers , prying for
transport out of Bangladesh and Myanmar and risking exploitation, including sexual enslavement

Communicating disaster risks to communities characterised by rich cultural and linguistic

disversity represents a key challenges for disaster risk reduction (DRR) practice that is rarely

well -resourced and often inadequately studied . It is through knowing the strengths and

vulnerabilities of given community , tailoring messages to them ,and building trust over time that

the disaster resilience of individuals, families and communities is fostered . These considerations

are particularly relevant for resettled refugee populations as their migrations , meaning systems ,

and personal experiences provide important waypoints to ensure that disaster communication are

timely , trusted and embraced . Globally over 80 million people are forcibly displaced by conflict

and persecution. For many the prospects of a safe and secure return to their homes and

communities remain untenable or highly precarious . In 2019 , 26 countries resettled refugees

through programs that offer lasting protections of those forcibly displaced and persecuted

because of

Who they or what they believe (resettlement in 2020 was largely halted due to covid -19

pandemic ). While resettlement provides an opportunity for refugees to live their lives with

relative safety and security ,it also present additional consideration to ensure that DRR

communications and strategies are inclusive and responsive to culturally and linguistically

diverse (CALD)communities . Presenting three case studies of refugees resettled in NEW

ZEALAND with differential exposure to disaster risk ,we outline six principles of engagement

that can improve the reach , relevance ,receptiveness and relationship that support effective

disaster messaging within the first few weeks that followed the escalation of violence in

Rakhine state , nearly 700,000 Rohingya fled to neighboring Bangladesh , undertaking life -
threating (and occasionally fatal ) journeys to get there .Prior to august 25 ,the region was

already a host community to 200000 Rohingya refugees . As of July 2022 , the world health

organization estimates over 925000 Rohingya are living in Cox Bazar .

However ,this isn’t the only area where the Rohingya have sought refuge in order to escape

violence . Over 90000 have fled to Thailand and over 20000 are in india . Smaller groups have

made their way to other countries area, including Indonesia and Nepal . the UNHCR estimates

an additional 1.1 million Rohingya are internally displaced within Myanmar , some several

times over .the camps that were set up for incoming Rohingya around cox bazar were built on

uneven , sandy hills that rapidly cleared in response to 2017’s a mass exodus . Since then , these

informal settlement have faced the constant threats of flooding and landslide . All the shelters are

required to be built from bamboo and traps ,meaning that concrete and bricks can’t be used as

added protection against the elements . Many have collapsed ,leaving residents exposed to the

elements .

The elements are a major issue . Bangladesh’s main cyclone season begins in April , making this

a time where Rohingya are most vulnerable . Beyond shelter facing destruction from high winds

these rainy seasons can also foster waterborne illnesses in crowded camps that don’t have proper

water and sanitation facilities . the poses a particular risk to children and elderly . Currently ,

Bangladesh is in the middle of its monsoon season (July through to October ) which brings

similar challenges . Fires are also an existential threat in cox bazar . By the beginning of march

this year , six fires had already torn through the refugee camps ,destroying homes and supplies .

Most refugee crises end with an eventual repatriation . However , the path to this in the case of

the Rohingya crisis is unclear . Since February of 2021 , escalating political and social instability

in Myanmar has also crated roadblocks to peaceful resolution any time soon . in June of this
year UN special envoy to general assembly noeleen heyzer estimate that 14.4 million people in

Myanmar – 25 % of the population required humanitarian assistance in the face of a rapidly

deteriorating situation . She has also highlighted that the future if Rohingya is bound up with

future of peace in Myanmar. Sustainable solutions for the Rohingya people must be built into

the design of a peaceful , inclusive and democratic Myanmar .

Concern in of over 100 non government organizations both local and international responding to

the influx of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh .because we have been in Bangladesh for 50 years

had former staff members in the area and had worked on previous projects there (including with

Rohingya refugees as early as 1991)we were on of the first organization to responds to the crisis .

Since then we’ve maintained a combination of life saving integrated nutrition support ,

livelihood development , disaster risk reduction non food item distribution and home gardening

initiatives . Our goal along with many of our partners and humanitarian colleagues ,is to help the

Rohingya stay healthy care for their families and live with as much security and dignity as

possible . two of the biggest focuses are maintaining nutrition and safeguarding against the

monsoons cyclones and other weather related disaster and responding the threats posed by

COVID 19 .

Our COVID 19 response in cox bazar with the initial lockdowns in Bangladesh . We ensure that

Rohingya refugees we support in cox bazar had a months supply of food , and worked with both

camp and surrounding communities to educate people on prevention and detection techniques .

We also partnered with local religious leader who shared the message via their microphone

during prayer times. Subsequently, Concern introduce a mobile testing and referral service for

those who may have been exposed to the virus. That service is available to both refugees and

local residents.
Life already difficult before the covid 19 pandemic has become even tougher for Nurul, his

family and their entire Rohingya population living across 34 camps in Bangladesh cox bazar

district.The camps are now home to more that=n one million people many of whom are infants

and small children who never seen the homeland of their parents.

Despite leaving the burning ruins of their home seek shelter in Bangladesh, the Rohingya have

still not found a safe and secure home. IN2021 alone floods ,fires, violence, repeated lockdowns

and increasing tensions among previously hospitable neighbors have all made life more difficult.