Rohingya Crisis

Lives to be lost for fund crunch, warns IOM

Unavailability of funding at the right time will cause loss of lives of Rohingyas, a senior official of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the United Nations migration agency has warned. Less than a quarter of $ 182 million appealed by the IOM has far been made available,  said a IOM press release yesterday quoting Manuel Pereira, the agency’s emergency coordinator in Cox’s Bazar.

“Across the camps we are constructing roads and access routes, improving drainage, building bridges, and preparing ground before the rains hit. We are also working with other agencies and the Bangladesh authorities to support resilience and disaster preparedness training for refugees and the host community, so we can all be ready to respond to emergencies when they occur,” Pereira said.

But he warned that with early rains and storm already causing damage in the camps and the full monsoon due to start next month urgent funding is required to allow more to be done to protect the Rohingya refugees. Less than a quarter of IOM’s USD 182 million appeal to support the refugees through year end has been secured.

“From medical staff to engineers, IOM teams are working round the clock to save lives in the camps and protect people as much as possible ahead of monsoon. If we have to delay projects, lives will be lost. We need funding now to be able to act before disaster strikes,” said Pereira.

Meanwhile, the release said that the IOM has distributed over two million vetiver grass in the past two weeks to reduce soil erosion and the risk of landslides in southern Bangladesh’s Rohingya refugee camps, where hundreds of thousands of people are at risk from impending monsoon rains.

A further two million plants will be given to local and international NGOs for distribution before the end of May, following the initial success of the project, which has local vetiver suppliers struggling to keep up with demand.

The grass cost just over USD 1.50 for a bundle of 200 plants. But the project, which in total could help stabilize land equivalent to almost 150 football fields, is expected to have a significant impact on improving living conditions in the hillside camps and will help to prevent life-threatening soil erosion.

Around 200,000 people have been recognised as being at high risk from landslides and floods in the coming monsoon months, and the entire refugee population is extremely vulnerable to related dangers, including restricted access to vital services and waterborne diseases. While grass alone is not sufficient to stabilize the steepest slopes, the vetiver plants offer an opportunity to protect large areas of the camps from erosion.

As well as providing a grass delivery pipeline for partner agencies across the camps, IOM has directly planted 2,750 bundles through cash for work programmes with Rohingya refugees and members of local host communities.

IOM has also produced a series of simple illustrations to help the refugees, many of whom are illiterate, to understand how best to plant and care for the plants.

The vetiver project is one of a wide range of practical initiatives that IOM site management teams are working on to help safeguard people and improve living conditions ahead of the monsoon.

Rohingya Crisis

Lives to be lost for fund crunch, warns IOM

Unavailability of funding at the right time will cause loss of lives of Rohingyas, a senior official of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the United Nations migration agency has warned. Less than a quarter of $ 182 million appealed by the IOM has far been made available, said a IOM press release yesterday quoting Manuel Pereira, the agencys emergency coordinator in Coxs Bazar. Across the camps we are constructing roads and access routes, improving drainage, building bridges, and preparing ground before the rains hit. We are also working with other agencies and the Bangladesh authorities to support resilience and disaster preparedness training for refugees and the host community, so we can all be ready to respond to emergencies when they occur, Pereira said. But he warned that with early rains and storm already causing damage in the camps and the full monsoon due to start next month urgent funding is required to allow more to be done to protect the Rohingya refugees. Less than a quarter of IOMs USD 182 million appeal to support the refugees through year end has been secured. From medical staff to engineers, IOM teams are working round the clock to save lives in the camps and protect people as much as possible ahead of monsoon. If we have to delay projects, lives will be lost. We need funding now to be able to act before disaster strikes, said Pereira. Meanwhile, the release said that the IOM has distributed over two million vetiver grass in the past two weeks to reduce soil erosion and the risk of landslides in southern Bangladeshs Rohingya refugee camps, where hundreds of thousands of people are at risk from impending monsoon rains. A further two million plants will be given to local and international NGOs for distribution before the end of May, following the initial success of the project, which has local vetiver suppliers struggling to keep up with demand. The grass cost just over USD 1.50 for a bundle of 200 plants. But the project, which in total could help stabilize land equivalent to almost 150 football fields, is expected to have a significant impact on improving living conditions in the hillside camps and will help to prevent life-threatening soil erosion. Around 200,000 people have been recognised as being at high risk from landslides and floods in the coming monsoon months, and the entire refugee population is extremely vulnerable to related dangers, including restricted access to vital services and waterborne diseases. While grass alone is not sufficient to stabilize the steepest slopes, the vetiver plants offer an opportunity to protect large areas of the camps from erosion. As well as providing a grass delivery pipeline for partner agencies across the camps, IOM has directly planted 2,750 bundles through cash for work programmes with Rohingya refugees and members of local host communities. IOM has also produced a series of simple illustrations to help the refugees, many of whom are illiterate, to understand how best to plant and care for the plants. The vetiver project is one of a wide range of practical initiatives that IOM site management teams are working on to help safeguard people and improve living conditions ahead of the monsoon.