The government of Japan has provided $2 million as an
emergency grant-in-aid to prop up humanitarian support to the displaced
Rohingya from Buma now living in Cox’s Bazar , coastal city of Bangladesh.
Rohingya Muslims in Arakan fled the country to escape
inhuman persecutions by Burmese military to take refuge in neighboring
Bangladesh. An estimated 75,000 people have crossed the border into Cox’s Bazar
since October 2016 as a result of a crack-down operation on innocent Rohingya
civillians.
The aid will be distributed to these displaced Rohingya
through the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Office of the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the United Nations
Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The refugees face limited shelter, food, necessary
item, health service and poor access to water, sanitation and hygiene
facilities.
According to a statement, the funds will help UNICEF to provide Maternal Neonatal
Child and Adolescent Health (MNCAH) to 61,822 children under the age of five,
58,299 women between 15-49 years of age and 2,000 adolescents in the refugee
communities. It will also distribute health information and education services,
immunisation, latrines, hygiene and hand washing devices.
“With the increasing influx of DPs in the host
communities and the makeshift settlements, the services and resources are
falling short, children bearing the biggest brunt,” said UNICEF Bangladesh
Representative Edouard Beigbeder.
Expressing his gratitude for the aid from Japan the
representative said, “We want all children from all communities to get basic
education services and be protected from abuse, violence and exploitation. This
grant will help us to complement education and protection services with health
and wash emergency interventions for all children. This will prepare the
children for a healthier life indispensable to their development and
well-being.”
Whereas the IOM will attend to the emergency needs of the
recently arrived, provide shelter to the homeless, necessities and access to
mental health care.
“This funding will help IOM to scale up the much needed
mental health interventions in the area with a specific focus on psychosocial
support for women and children,” said Mr. Sarat Dash, the Chief of Mission of
IOM Bangladesh acknowledging the support of the Government of Japan. “This
partnership is crucial for us as it particularly supporting the changing needs
of humanitarian assistance and protection in Cox’s Bazar,” he added.
The UNHCR on the other hand will distribute non-food
items among 2,600 families to help them weather the monsoons.
Collaborating with the Government of Bangladesh, UNHCR
will distribute non-food items among these families seeking protection in the
Kutupalong and Nayapara registered refugee camps which will be essential to
help them survive during the upcoming rainy season. Mr. Shinji Kubo,
Representative, UNHCR-Bangladesh expressed his gratitude towards the Government
of Japan for their timely emergency humanitarian response that plays an
essential role in UNHCR’s life-saving endeavours. He further affirmed UNHCR’s
commitment to continue its protection activities to be implemented with this
Emergency Grant Aid.
Bangladesh has so far sheltered on humanitarian ground to
more than 500,000 Rohingya refugees who fled their home and took refuge at
different times over the past few decades. Burmese government has always been
reluctant to take back their citizens.
Earlier, Chinese especial envoy to Asia Mr. San Gouxiang
has expressed his positive participation during his recent visit to Dhaka to
mediate between Bangladesh and Burma over the long-lasting Rohingya crisis.
Bangladesh has welcomed the approch but Burma has directly rejected the
intervention of China in the matter.