UN chief vows to 'speak loud' to avert ration cuts for Rohingya in Bangladesh

By Ruma Paul

COX'S BAZAR, Bangladesh (Reuters) -The United Nations will do all it can to help prevent food rations being cut for Rohingyas in camps in Bangladesh, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Friday during a visit to the world’s largest refugee settlement.

Guterres’ visited the border district of Cox's Bazar in southern Bangladesh after the U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) announced potential cuts to food rations for the Rohingya refugees following the shutdown of USAID operations.

Bangladesh is sheltering over 1 million Rohingya - members of a persecuted Muslim minority who fled violent purges in neighbouring Myanmar - in camps in the Cox’s Bazar district, where they have limited access to jobs or education.

Guterres said "dramatic" cuts in humanitarian aid announced by the United States and European countries meant there was a risk of food rations to the camp being reduced.

"I will be talking to all countries in the world that can support us in order to make sure that funds are made available to avoid a situation in which people would suffer in even more," Guterres said.

The WFP has said it may reduce food rations for the Rohingya from $12.50 to $6 per month from April because of a lack of funding, raising fears among aid workers of rising hunger in the overcrowded camps.

"My voice will speak loud to the international community, saying we need urgently more support because this population badly needs that support to be able to live in dignity here in Bangladesh," Guterres said.

The WFP said this month the reduction was due to a broad shortfall in donations, not a decision by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration to cut U.S. foreign aid globally, including USAID.

But a senior Bangladeshi official told Reuters the U.S. cuts likely played a role as the U.S. has been the top donor for Rohingya refugee aid.

"Whatever we are given now is not enough. If that’s halved, we are simply going to starve," said Mohammed Sabir, a 31-year-old refugee from Myanmar who has lived in the camps since fleeing violence in 2017.

REFUGEES FEAR BEING FORGOTTEN

Many Rohingya fled to Bangladesh in 2016 and 2017. About 70,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh last year, driven in part by growing hunger in their home state of Rakhine, Reuters has reported.

"We are not allowed to work here. I feel helpless when I think of my children. What will I feed them?" said Sabir, a father of five. "I hope we are not forgotten. The global community must come forward to help."

The WFP has said it requires $15 million in April to maintain full rations for the refugees. But fears are growing about the impact on food security during the holy month of Ramadan, which this year ends in the last days of March.

Bangladesh’s interim government hopes Guterres' visit will help draw international attention to the crisis and mobilise aid.

Guterres was also due to take part in a fasting break with refugees during Iftar, accompanied by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, the head of Bangladesh’s interim government.

"Without work or income, this will have catastrophic consequences," 80-year-old refugee Abdur Salam said of food ration cuts. "What kind of life is this? If you can’t give us enough food, please send us back to our homeland. We want to return to Myanmar with our rights."

(Additional reporting by Sam Jahan, Writing by Shilpa Jamkhandikar, Editing by Gerry Doyle and Timothy Heritage)