ROHINGYA CRISIS

UN asks for more funds fearing further exodus

The United Nations has expressed fear of further exodus of Rohingya Muslims, who are victims of atrocities by Myanmar security forces, to Bangladesh. “This flow of people of Myanmar (to Bangladesh) hasn't stopped yet. Obviously, there are hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas still in Myanmar, and we want to be ready in case there is a further exodus," UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock was quoted by international media as telling a press conference in Geneva on Friday.

Describing the situation as unacceptable, he said a senior UN official is expected to visit Myanmar in next few days. UN says that as of Friday, the number of Rohingya people who have fled Myanmar for Bangladesh since August 25 stands at 5.15 lakh.

This is in addition to already about 4.5 lakh Rohingyas who have been living in Bangladesh for decades.

“According to International Organization for Migration (IOM), an estimated 2,000 Rohingya refugees a day are still arriving in Cox's Bazar. Observers believe that as many as 100,000 more people may be waiting to cross into Cox's Bazar from North Rakhine's Buthidaung Township in Myanmar,” according to a press release posted on the website of the UN news centre on Friday.

Meanwhile, the UN agencies are seeking more funds to cope with the mass exodus of people fleeing the atrocities in Myanmar into Bangladesh, which, Lowcock, the top UN aid official described the world's fastest growing refugee crisis.

He said more than half a million people who have arrived in Bangladesh from Myanmar in recent weeks need a greater level of help from the international community.

Lowcock called the situation “one of the most heart-rending,”

recalling his encounter with an 11-year-old boy who was

cradling his critically ill baby sister during his visit earlier this week to the host communities in Bangladesh.

“His mother, the boy and his four siblings had set off on a journey lasting, I think, nine days, fleeing violence and the burning of their village. The mother died on the journey. This little boy is now in sole charge of his four siblings, including his two-and-a-half-year-old severely acutely malnourished sister,” he said.

Lowcock, who is also the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, said some $434 million will be required in the coming months, calling for donor support ahead of the pledging conference in Geneva later this month.

For its part, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is seeking $83.7 million in additional funds for the next six months to help the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.

In light of the scope and speed of displacement, UNHCR has declared a ‘Level 3 Emergency’ – the top level – for this crisis.

In the context of Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), a Level 3 emergency would typically be a sudden onset complex emergency requiring the activation of a UN system-wide response, with agreed mechanisms, tools and procedures.

 “We have so far organised five airlifts, flying in some 500 metric tonnes of aid. More flights are being planned. We have also doubled the number of our staff in Bangladesh to almost 100,” UNHCR spokesperson Andrej Mahecic told reporters in Geneva.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is also appealing for $10.2 million to support critical health interventions in the Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar area.

“The health needs of this immensely vulnerable population are massive, and growing,” said Roderico Ofrin, Regional Emergency Director for WHO South-East Asia in a press release. “Though WHO has provided critical support to health services delivery – including by supporting mobile medical teams and mobilizing life-saving medicines – the need to scale-up operations is clear.”

IOM this week issued an appeal for $120 million through March to provide desperately needed aid to the refugees who have flooded into Cox’s Bazar. The appeal is part of a broader humanitarian response plan seeking $434 million to help 1.2 million people, including the Bangladeshi host community.

Meanwhile, quoting Lowcock, who recently visited Bangladesh, Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for the secretary-general, told a regular briefing on Friday, “The origins of the crisis in Bangladesh are in Myanmar and that its solutions ultimately have to be in Myanmar.

Lowcock reiterated the secretary-general’s calls for unfettered full humanitarian access and an end to military operation to ensure the safe, dignified and voluntary return of Rohingya refugees.  He said that this is a refugee crisis and reiterated his gratitude to the government’s institutions and people of Bangladesh for their generosity towards these refugees.

 

ROHINGYA CRISIS

UN asks for more funds fearing further exodus

The United Nations has expressed fear of further exodus of Rohingya Muslims, who are victims of atrocities by Myanmar security forces, to Bangladesh. This flow of people of Myanmar (to Bangladesh) hasnt stopped yet. Obviously, there are hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas still in Myanmar, and we want to be ready in case there is a further exodus, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock was quoted by international media as telling a press conference in Geneva on Friday. Describing the situation as unacceptable, he said a senior UN official is expected to visit Myanmar in next few days. UN says that as of Friday, the number of Rohingya people who have fled Myanmar for Bangladesh since August 25 stands at 5.15 lakh. This is in addition to already about 4.5 lakh Rohingyas who have been living in Bangladesh for decades. According to International Organization for Migration (IOM), an estimated 2,000 Rohingya refugees a day are still arriving in Coxs Bazar. Observers believe that as many as 100,000 more people may be waiting to cross into Coxs Bazar from North Rakhines Buthidaung Township in Myanmar, according to a press release posted on the website of the UN news centre on Friday. Meanwhile, the UN agencies are seeking more funds to cope with the mass exodus of people fleeing the atrocities in Myanmar into Bangladesh, which, Lowcock, the top UN aid official described the worlds fastest growing refugee crisis. He said more than half a million people who have arrived in Bangladesh from Myanmar in recent weeks need a greater level of help from the international community. Lowcock called the situation one of the most heart-rending, recalling his encounter with an 11-year-old boy who was cradling his critically ill baby sister during his visit earlier this week to the host communities in Bangladesh. His mother, the boy and his four siblings had set off on a journey lasting, I think, nine days, fleeing violence and the burning of their village. The mother died on the journey. This little boy is now in sole charge of his four siblings, including his two-and-a-half-year-old severely acutely malnourished sister, he said. Lowcock, who is also the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, said some $434 million will be required in the coming months, calling for donor support ahead of the pledging conference in Geneva later this month. For its part, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is seeking $83.7 million in additional funds for the next six months to help the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. In light of the scope and speed of displacement, UNHCR has declared a Level 3 Emergency the top level for this crisis. In the context of Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), a Level 3 emergency would typically be a sudden onset complex emergency requiring the activation of a UN system-wide response, with agreed mechanisms, tools and procedures. We have so far organised five airlifts, flying in some 500 metric tonnes of aid. More flights are being planned. We have also doubled the number of our staff in Bangladesh to almost 100, UNHCR spokesperson Andrej Mahecic told reporters in Geneva. The World Health Organization (WHO) is also appealing for $10.2 million to support critical health interventions in the Bangladeshs Coxs Bazar area. The health needs of this immensely vulnerable population are massive, and growing, said Roderico Ofrin, Regional Emergency Director for WHO South-East Asia in a press release. Though WHO has provided critical support to health services delivery including by supporting mobile medical teams and mobilizing life-saving medicines the need to scale-up operations is clear. IOM this week issued an appeal for $120 million through March to provide desperately needed aid to the refugees who have flooded into Coxs Bazar. The appeal is part of a broader humanitarian response plan seeking $434 million to help 1.2 million people, including the Bangladeshi host community. Meanwhile, quoting Lowcock, who recently visited Bangladesh, Stphane Dujarric, spokesman for the secretary-general, told a regular briefing on Friday, The origins of the crisis in Bangladesh are in Myanmar and that its solutions ultimately have to be in Myanmar. Lowcock reiterated the secretary-generals calls for unfettered full humanitarian access and an end to military operation to ensure the safe, dignified and voluntary return of Rohingya refugees. He said that this is a refugee crisis and reiterated his gratitude to the governments institutions and people of Bangladesh for their generosity towards these refugees.