Daily Times

World Food Program (WFP) has decided to cut rations for the Rohingya refugees living in Cox’s Bazar. WFP announced that it has decided to cut the monthly allotment from the current $12 to $10 from March onward. Currently, the Rohingya are only receiving $10 per month.

For the last few years, funds for Rohingya are constantly declining. This alarming trend is also harmful to the refugees who rely on the ration to meet their nutrition demands. Declining funds will bring security challenges for both camp and the region. Against this backdrop, it seems quick repatriation is the only solution; otherwise, the crisis is likely to become protracted.

Declining Fund

The latest incident of fund decline is WFP’s decision to cut the ration by 17 per cent. WFP is presenting a budget shortfall for the decision. WFP has also requested openly a $125 million immediate fund from its donors.

The ration cut means that a refugee must meet his livelihood in the camp by $10 a month. It is likely to make life more difficult for refugees considering the rising commodity prices amid high inflation.

The recent histories of budget cut for the refugees suggest that the impact of such a decision only worsens the condition of the camp. Previously, WFP reduced its budgetary support in Uganda in 2020. The decision resulted in widespread malnutrition and hunger. Many refugees are leaving the camp to go back to their homes even though the situation has not improved yet.

Even though the UN wants Rohingya to become self-sustained refugees, it is not practical considering the local demography and economy.

For the two-three years, Funds for camp management under Joint Response Plan (JRP) are declining sharply since 2020. In 2022, only $553 million of the required $881 million was met with a shortfall of 37%. In 2021, the shortfall was 28% and in 2020 it was 40%.

Managing camps with inadequate funds are also increasing security threats. Moreover, it is also not sustainable to increase budgetary support due to the ongoing economic downturn since the Ukraine crisis.

Gambia is also facing a budget shortage to run its case in the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Recently, The Gambian foreign minister discussed the issue during a meeting with his Bangladeshi counterpart.

Donor Fatigue

It seems the declining fund is not exclusive to the Rohingya only. The shortfalls in funds for refugees are persistent worldwide. The declining trend is also persistent worldwide. According to the UNHCR Global Funding Overview, the required budget for global refugee management was $9 billion in 2020; but only $4.3 was met and the shortfall was 53%. In 2021, the shortfall was 44% and in 2022, the shortfall remained at 43%.

It seems there is donor fatigue and a growing number of crises worldwide. The latest Ukraine war also produced new refugees fleeing the conflict zone. The fund for Rohingya is also affected by donor fatigue, new conflicts and new priorities.

Impact of Declining Budget

Declining aid will bring adverse impacts on the refugees. Already, 45% of the refugees could not avail balanced diet with $12 per month. Before the ration cut, already 40% of children had stunted growth and 40% of pregnant and breastfeeding women are anaemic. The latest decrease in the monthly ration will increase the numbers.

UN Special Rapporteurs have already warned about upcoming ‘devastating consequences due to the WFP’s decision. The shortage of aid means more malnutrition, more disease, fewer services, and increased insecurity in the camp. It may also increase child marriage as the parents will be forced to reduce their family size.

The inadequate aid support will also force the refugees to seek alternative income sources which may force them to engage in illegal activities including drug peddling, joining gangs, extortion and many more. They will also likely be victims of terrorist recruiters. The worsening livelihood standard may influence the refugees to take perilous boat journeys to avoid hunger, insecurity, and malnutrition. These will surely impact regional security.

Even though the UN wants Rohingya to become self-sustained refugees, it is not practical considering the demography and economy of Cox’s Bazaar. Allowing refugees to work is something that Bangladesh can not afford, considering its unemployment problem.

The legal battle in ICJ is also in jeopardy due to a funding shortage. The Gambia is doing a public good on behalf of the world by standing up for these persecuted minorities. Further funding shortage may force Gambia to give up the case.

Repatriation: Only ‘Sustainable’ Solution

The declining fund is a global trend and the Rohingya are merely the victims of it. The crisis has been ongoing for five and half years now. Donor fatigue is already visible. It is not wise to only provide financial support to maintain the camps in the long run. Therefore, the only sustainable solution is to ensure quick repatriation. But for that, the international community must increase their pressure on Myanmar. Only after 5 and half years, the international community must not forget their commitment.

The Rohingya already live in inhumane conditions in camps. The reduction in aid means further worsening the situation only. While budgetary support should not decline, the reasons behind the decline also need to be acknowledged. Only repatriation is the most practical solution in this regard. Therefore, the international community must increase its role to ensure quick repatriation to fulfil its commitment towards the most persecuted community of our time.

The writer is a retired government official fromBangladesh.