n a development that has sparked widespread concern, the United Nations has announced plans to reduce the food supplies it provides to the Rohingya refugees by approximately 20% in the upcoming month.
This decision comes at a time when the refugees are already grappling with the aftermath of a catastrophic cyclone, deepening their struggle for survival.
The Rohingya people, currently dwelling in what is considered the world’s largest refugee camp situated in Southeast Bangladesh, are questioning why their suffering seems to occupy a low priority in the global human rights framework.
Having been ravaged by a trifecta of crises — racism, poverty, and climate change — they have witnessed a disturbing lack of international aid.
There has been no noticeable outpouring of support from global communities, no public declarations of solidarity at international events like Eurovision, and a conspicuous absence of celebrity-led charity initiatives aimed at mitigating their dire circumstances.
This week, the region was struck by the formidable Cyclone Mocha, one of the most potent storms ever to hit the area.
The cyclone unleashed its wrath on both Bangladesh and Myanmar, causing widespread destruction and upheaval.
Homes were demolished, entire villages were razed to the ground, and a terrifying 3.5-metre tidal surge was triggered, which flooded the streets of low-lying regions, exacerbating the ongoing crisis.
The cyclone’s fierce winds, reaching speeds of up to 155 miles per hour, have caused extensive damage to small fishing communities scattered along the coastline.
The immense Kutupalong refugee camp in Southeast Bangladesh, which provides shelter to nearly a million Rohingya people, is also under threat of devastation by these harsh weather conditions.
In 2017, the Rohingya Muslims were forced to flee their homeland of Myanmar due to a brutal military-led ethnic cleansing campaign.
They sought refuge in neighbouring Bangladesh, expecting sanctuary. Instead, they found themselves relegated to the fringes of society, confined to camps far from populated urban centres.
Forbidden from working, the refugees’ survival hinges on the inconsistent financial aid offered by the United Nations, which in turn is dependent on the contributions of donor states that can be withdrawn or withheld at any time.
Despite already enduring some of the most deplorable living conditions imaginable, the plight of the Rohingya people is set to become even more desperate.
The Bangladeshi government has imposed a ban on their departure from the camp, even in the face of life-threatening emergencies.
Consequently, thousands are now crowding into storm relief centres, desperate for shelter from the storm.
These buildings, typically serving as schools and health centres, are barely more robust than the makeshift bamboo and tarpaulin huts they are attempting to escape.
Furthermore, these centres are woefully inadequate to house the immense number of refugees seeking shelter.
In the coming month, the United Nations is set to further compound their misery by cutting food rations for the refugees by nearly a fifth.
The organisation claims that due to the failure of governments worldwide to fulfil their financial commitments, it can no longer sustain its current level of support.
Malnutrition is already a grim reality in the camps, with a shocking 40% of Rohingya children suffering from stunted growth due to chronic undernourishment.
More than half of them are anaemic, a condition that increases their susceptibility to common viral infections, which in their weakened state could prove fatal.
The aftermath of the cyclone, which often sees a surge in disease spread, could potentially lead to a dramatic spike in the death toll.
Habib Ullah, a Rohingya teacher and activist living in the camp, gave a poignant account of the situation: ‘The Rohingya are somehow surviving with just our skin and our soul. I see thousands and thousands of people starving every day. Not only children, but people of all ages are malnourished due to insufficient food.’
This statement serves as a stark reminder of the bleak conditions the Rohingya people endure each day.
In addition to the looming threat of malnutrition, the refugees are confronted with a multitude of other health challenges.
The overcrowded conditions in the camp, combined with limited sanitation facilities, create a breeding ground for diseases.
The situation is further exacerbated by the lack of adequate healthcare services.
The cyclone’s aftermath could potentially trigger outbreaks of waterborne and vector-borne diseases, such as cholera and malaria, which could inflict further suffering on the already beleaguered community.
Moreover, the devastating cyclone has not only wreaked havoc on their physical surroundings but has also had profound psychological impacts.
Many refugees are grappling with the trauma of losing their homes and loved ones, and the enduring uncertainty about their future only adds to their mental distress.
Mental health services are desperately needed, yet remain woefully inadequate due to limited resources and stigma surrounding mental health issues.
- Meanwhile, in the face of increasingly frequent and intense droughts caused by climate change, Spain is grappling with a looming water crisis.
The dire situation serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for environmental action.
Workers, in particular, find themselves battling life-threatening conditions as they cope with the consequences of the water scarcity.
April of this year witnessed a scorching heatwave, resulting in several Spanish cities experiencing their highest temperatures ever recorded.
Cordoba, for instance, reached a sweltering 38.7°C at one point.
Furthermore, April in the city of Valencia passed without a single drop of rain, marking the first rainless April since 1927.
Alarming statistics from Spain’s public health agency estimate that in 2022, extreme temperatures claimed the lives of nearly 6,000 people.
Experts fear that this year’s death toll could surpass that grim figure.
In response to the crisis, Spain’s government, a coalition of the Labour-type PSOE and the once-radical Podemos parties, recently proposed modest measures to mitigate the impact of the drought.
The government allocated £2 billion for emergency aid and announced that outdoor workers, such as refuse collectors, street sweepers, and builders, would be exempt from work during high-temperature alerts issued by the Spanish meteorological office.
While labour unions welcomed this step, they viewed it as a limited solution, applicable only during the most extreme temperature conditions.
Critics argue that the government’s programme fails to address the broader issue at hand.
Patricio Garcia-Fayos, director of a respected research centre in Valencia, emphasised that climate change, coupled with excessive exploitation of groundwater, is rapidly accelerating ‘the desertification of Spain.’
This alarming trend not only exacerbates water scarcity but also heightens the risk of devastating wildfires.
Spain experienced the highest number of wildfires in Europe last year, with over 300,000 hectares, roughly equivalent to the size of Cornwall, succumbing to flames.
