Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1694840249505.pdf (Malta)
IT-TLETTAX-IL LEĠIŻLATURA P.L.

796 Dokument imqiegħed fuq il-Mejda tal-Kamra tad-Deputati fis-Seduta Numru 59 tad-29 ta’ Novembru 2017 mill-Ispeaker, l-Onor.

Anġlu Farrugia.

___________________________ Raymond Scicluna Skrivan tal-Kamra Parliamentary delegation visit to the Rohingya refugee camp in Cox’ Baxar 8 - 9 November 2017 Bangladesh Hon Alex Muscat, MP Hon Ryan Callus, MP Parliamentary delegation visit to the Rohingya refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh 8- 9 November, 2017 Hon.
Alex Muscat & Hon.

Ryan Callus I I I I liPage '' '.

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t I I I Foreward On the sth and gth of November 2017, Members of Parliament Alex Muscat and Ryan Callus visited the refugee camp in Cox's Bazar hosting Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.
At the end of the 63rd Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, the two MPs opted to join the British delegation on their own initiative, following a statement by Speaker of the House Anglu Farrugia during a briefing on the Rohingya Crisis delivered during the opening of the conference held in Dhaka, Bangladesh by the Foreign minister of Bangladesh AH Mahmood Ali.
Lord George Foulkes of the British House of Lords, who led the delegation to the Rohingya camp, declared that the British delegation would visit Cox's Bazar to assess the existing situation of the Rohingya people on the ground, while describing the crisis as "genocide".

The two Maltese MPs Alex Muscat and Ryan Callus showed interest in visiting the area and therefore joined the British delegation on this mission.
The visit was facilitated and coordinated by the United Nations Refugee Agency t ··- 1 I I I I (UNHCR).

21Page t. ' I' '' " I I 'I Programme of Visit The delegation arrived in Kutupalong Camp in Cox's Bazar on the 81 h of November.

A UNHCR representative gave a briefing session on the response operation, including the registration of refugees, the assistance being provided and the key challenges being faced.
The delegation also met the elected refugee leaders representing the community that has been living in Kutupalong before the latest crisis.

The delegation had the possibility to discuss with these representatives about the realities they are facing, the impact of the recent refugee influx on the camp, their aspirations and how could the UK and Maltese politicians assist the Rohingyas.
The delegation was then walked to the Kutupalong School facility, which also doubles up as an unaccompanied children safe zone.

At the school facility the delegation met refugee children and teachers, learned about the subjects being taught, and also met the school leaders who gave a briefing about their efforts among the Rohingya community.
Children go to school more for entertainment purposes rather than educational, as there is no separation between age amongst students in the absence of a structured educational system.

The delegation was then accompanied to a food distribution point, and a non-food items distribution point.

The next visit was to the transit centre, where the newly arrived refugees are temporarily housed.
The delegation had the opportunity to meet the new refugees and dialogue with them about the situation back in Myanmar, the reality they were facing in their country of origin, the challenges faced to travel to Bangladesh and about their fears and needs.

After the visit to Kutupalong, the delegation met the Deputy Commissioner of Cox's Bazar, who is the equivalent of the Mayor.
The delegation had the opportunity to discuss with the Deputy Commissioner the impact the recent refugee influx has on his constituency, the challenges and difficulties being faced, the immediate and 3IPage ' .

I I ' I . '

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I I ' I medium range needs, and the way forward.

It emerged that the current Rohingya population outnumbers the local community in Kutupalong.
The next meeting was with Ms. Catherine Mahony from the International Rescue Committee which is an NGO working in Bangaldesh to assist on the Rohingya Refugee crisis.

On the 91 h of November the delegation had the opportunity to visit the main compound of the UNHCR in Cox's Bazar and met Ms. Louise Aubin the senior emergency coordinator.

The delegation was briefed about the UNHCR operation in 1·-· Bangladesh in response to the Rohingya crisis since 1992.
Lastly, the delegation met the Bangladesh Refugee Commissioner who is responsible for the refugee status of the Rohingyas.

His main objective, as directed by the Bangladesh government, is that of achieving a repatriation agreement with Myanmar. '

' > I 41Page '' I' I I i I !

Observations I.

The Rohingya people have been fleeing to Bangladesh since the 70's in four major migration waves.

The biggest one being the most recent which begun on 25th August 2017.

II.
II.

More than 600,000 Rohingyas have reached Cox's Bazar since the 25th August of 2017.

Ill. Rohingyas are fleeing Myanmar because they are not recognized by the ' ' authorities as Myanmar nationals.

They are being forced to leave, or face severe hardship.

Rohingyas have recounted how Myanmar army officials have confiscated identity documents, effectively rendering the Rohingyas a stateless population.

IV.

The biggest camp in Cox's Bazar is Kutupalong with over 400,000 Rohingyas living there.
It is one big camp settlement with no infrastructure- no roads, no sewer, no electricity.

The terrain is very difficult to work with; there is inadequate water supply, no sanitary provisions and limited food supply, which is making the situation even harder.

V. UNHCR has been very present and active over the years to try to alleviate the situation as much as possible.
They have been supplying food, water, and some basic items such as blankets, fly nets, buckets, jerry cans, solar powered lighting, and bamboo sticks and rope to set up a basic shelter.

UNHCR representatives admitted never witnessing such intense refugee camps in the history of their operations.

VI.

There is growing fear that of an epidemic breakout, such as Cholera.

Fire and mudslides are equally worrying.


A recent study has highlighted a general I I I I SIPage t· ', 0 I ; I malnutrition problem, which is getting worse as more people are arriving on a daily basis.

On average some 70 new arrivals are reaching Kutupalong daily.

The area is very small and confined, and heavily overpopulated.

VII.

UNHCR has set up a number of operations and basic amenities, such as schools, children safe zones, reception centres, latrines and food distribution points.
They have been also collecting information about all the refugees present to keep a proper record, which they call family counting.

VIII.

Bangladesh has been a very generous nation by accepting all the Rohingyas.

r The Rohingya population in Cox's Bazar is now bigger than the Bangladeshi themselves.

The delegation was informed of gestures of solidarity by the local Bangladesh community, in providing basic necessities.
Local Government is very concerned with the situation, which is creating big pressures on the local and national economy.

IX.

The Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheik Hasina, has been actively urging Myanmar to repatriate the Rohingyas, recognize them as Myanmar Nationals, and give them citizenship.

She has presented the UNGA with a five point plan to stop the violence, get the UN to send a fact-finding mission to Myanmar, create safe zones in Myanmar and implement a return policy.

X.
X.

The Rohingya are probably the most neglected people in the world.

They are currently stateless and deprived of the most basic human rights.

They are powerless and with no sense of purpose.

They want to be duly reinstated to the Rackine state which has been their land for generations in Myanmar and be given citizenship.

XI.

The delegation was provided with first-hand witnesses detailing the atrocities allegedly committed by the Myanmar regime on the Rohingyas.
When questioned about the atrocities, one mother being one of the recent arrivals, i I I I 6IPage t· ' . '

~=I ' ' '' t I o I described how she saw soldiers throwing babies in fire.

The international community must increase the pressure on Myanmar to stop this ethnic cleansing with immediate effect.

Moreover, the Maltese delegation was provided with a document during the Foreign Minister's address, with photos of alleged atrocities committed on the Rohingyas in Myanmar.

XII.
XII.

The Rohingyas spoke about the inability to leave the refugee camp, but the delegation did not observe any control points by the Bangladesh military.

Refugee status is not an end to the solution.

Rohingyas desire statehood in the absence of any identity and guarantees for the safeguard of their human rights.

XIII.
XIII.

A repatriation agreement between Myanmar and Bangladesh cannot be considered in isolation without due consideration to the atrocities committed in what has been described as ethnic cleansing.

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" i I 'I Annex 1 Bangladesh Foreign Minister address to the 63rd Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference on the Rohingya Issues I ~' o=• '' " ' l 'l ,_, I I : l Hon'ble Foreign Minister's Briefing to the 63'd Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference on Rohingya Issue, OS November 2017 at BICC Hon'ble Speakers Distinguished Parliamentarians of Commonwealth countries Excellencies Ladies and Gentlemen A very good afternoon to you all.
I feel extremely honoured and privileged to address this august gathering, graced by the presence of the Parliamentarians of the Commonwealth.

I thank the organizers for inviting me to brief the distinguished parliamentarians on the Rohingya issue, the most pressing crisis for the international community at this moment.

As you are aware Bangladesh is currently facing colossal challenge due to the unprecedented level of influx of Rohingyas from the neighboring Rakhine state of Myanmar.
These people, most of whom are women, children and elderly, are taking shelter in Bangladesh fleeing ethnic cleansing in their homeland.

Since 25 August 2017, more than 600,000 Rohingyas took shelter in Bangladesh.

These displaced are traumatized, hungry and some of them are with injuries caused by gunshots, shrapnel, fire and landmines.

Earlier on several occasions, 400,000 Rohingyas had been forced to take shelter in Bangladesh.

Altogether Bangladesh is currently hosting over a million of Rohingyas.
Dear Audience, Now the question is why the Rohingyas are fleeing from their own homeland?

Independent sources, including UN and rights organizations as well as international media reveal that the villages in Rakhine are being burned down, the livelihood options are being deliberately destroyed, and people are being forced to leave the country.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in his remarks at the 36th Human Rights Council termed the ongoing military operation as "a textbook example of ethnic cleansing".

UN Secretary General 1 I ' \ I r· I ' ' l' ' ' ! '

in his address to UN Security Council on 28 September 2017 termed the crisis as "the world's fastest developing refugee emergency and a humanitarian and human rights nightmare."
My fellow Parliamentarians, I am sad to say that Rohingyas has been denied of basic civil rights in Myanmar and thus had been regular victims of persecution and frequent communal violence in the northern Rakhine State of Myanmar.

The Myanmar authorities have long been running a malicious propqganda to identify the Rohingyas as 'Illegal immigrants from Bangladesh'.

In this regard, I feel intrigued to share some historical accounts on the origin of Rohingyas.
British historical and other past records suggest that Muslims in Rakhine existed long before its annexation by the British (1824).

During 7th - 8th century Arab traders travelled to Arakan for business.

During that period they preached Islam to the locals.

During 15th to 17th century (up to 1666) south-eastern part of Bengal was intermittently under Arakan rule.

Naturally, this allowed unhindered movement of people within the same Kingdom.
Therefore, human migration and settlement of many centuries helped evolve Rohingya ethnicity in Arakan, presently called Rakhine, a state inside Myanmar.

Arakan was generally referred to as Roshang or Rohang in the chronicles of Bengal and Tripura Kings.

So the term Rohingyas basically refers to their place of origin.

To determine the population trend in that region, a Committee headed by Mr. James Baxter was established in 1939.
According to the report of the Committee published in 1940, the percentage of Muslim population born in Arakan/ Rakhine was 77 in 1931.

According to the report as well as other historical accounts, Rohingyas, who settled in Arakan/Rakhine after 1825 were indigenized well before independence of Burma in 1948.

In the 1947 Constitution of Burma, Rohingyas were given 'National Registration Certificate' with full legal and voting rights.
In 1954 the then Prime Minister of Myanmar stated in a public speech: "Rohingya has the equal status of nationality with Kachin, Kayah, Karen, Mon, Rakhine and Shan".

During 1948- 2 I I \ I t' I '' ' ' i I r, 61, 4 to 6 Rohingyas were elected as members of the parliament.

Rohingyas used to be represented in various political, social and educational institutions.

But in 1982, the Citizenship Act denied citizenship right of Rohingyas and 'foreigners'.
Even till 2010, Rohingyas exercised their identified them as franchise rights in all national and local elections.

It is only recently in March 2015, they have been further disenfranchised.

Ladies & Gentlemen Before the present crisis unfolded on 25 August 2017, Bangladesh had faced massive wave of influx of Rohingyas in 1978-79 & 1992-93.

Each time Myanmar took back their residents followed by bilateral negotiations.
In fact the Rohingyas were recognized as 'members of Myanmar society' in Joint Statement issued in 1992 allowing repatriation of 236,599 displaced Rohingyas to their homeland in Myanmar.

I was closely involved in the negotiation of the repatriation.

The repatriation was unilaterally halted in 2005 and since then the influx is taking place in regular interval.
Bangladesh, as a responsible and responsive nation, remained bilaterally engaged with Myanmar to ensure safe, sustainable and dignified return of these forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals.

At my invitation, Mr. U Kyaw Tint Swe, Myanmar's Union Minister at the Office of the State Counsellor paid an official visit to Bangladesh on 2"d October.

During this visit we discussed about the return of the forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals who took shelter in Bangladesh over the years.
I have also handed over a draft proposal on 'arrangement of return' to the Myanmar Minister.

I must mention here that, we have earlier handed similar proposals to Myanmar Government in May and September this year.

After the visit by the Myanmar Union Minister, we agreed to form Joint Working Group to facilitate the return.

Both sides are now working on the formation of Joint Working Group as well as the proposed arrangement for return.
To address the security issues in the border, Bangladesh earlier proposed the MoUs on the i) Framework Agreement on Security Cooperation Dialogue and i • ii) Establishment of the Border Liaison Offices.

The MoUs were signed on 23'd i I 3 ,, t• ,, •• ' ' ..

I ' ' l October 2017 during the visit of Bangladesh Home Minister to Myanmar.

Bangladesh has also proposed to run joint operations and coordinated patrolling along the borders to tackle the alleged terrorist elements in the border.
Distinguished audience Under severe space and resource constraint, Bangladesh Government is providing over one million Rohingyas with food, shelter, health and other basic humanitarian services.

We have allocated 3500 acres of land for building temporary shelters, resources for roads and other infrastructures construction and logistic support for distribution of relief materials.

Rohingya children are being vaccinated and given health services in Government hospitals.
, .. Administration, military, police and other law enforcement personnel have been deployed provide support.

We have initiated biometric registration of all Rohingyas living in Bangladesh.

The arrival and presence of such huge number of displaced people in Cox's Bazaar created massive socio-economic, environmental and demographic pressure on.

Bangladesh.

Other human security risks remain a possibility, including that of epidemics.
The Government's effort to provide humanitarian support is complemented by the UN agencies and other development partners.

We are thankful to the UN and other partner agencies and countries, as well as civil society for providing generous support to us.

However, humanitarian responses would help these displaced Rohingyas only temporarily.

As our Hon'ble Prime Minister said, the root of the problem lies in Myanmar and it has to be resolved in Myanmar.
To resolve the current crisis as well as to forge a permanent solution to this long standing problem, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presented a 05 point proposal in her General Debate Statement in the 72"d UNGA, which, I read- First: Myanmar must unconditionally stop the violence and the practice of ethnic cleansing in the Rakhine State immediately and forever.

Second: Secretary General of the United Nations should immediately send a Fact-Finding Mission to Myanmar.
I I I I 4 ,, .. i I I I Third: All civilians irrespective of religion and ethnicity must be protected in Myanmar.

For that "safe zones" could be created inside Myanmar under UN supervision.

Fourth: Ensure sustainable return of all forcibly displaced Rohingyas in Bangladesh to their homes in Myanmar.

Fifth: The recommendations of Kofi Annan Commission Report must be immediately implemented unconditionally and in its entirety.
Ladies and gentlemen, The issue of Rohingyas crisis has attracted widespread international attention mostly since the current crisis began.

The sheer magnitude of the problem and the nature of sufferings otthis large group of Rohingya population have shaken the conscience of the world.

During the 72"d General Assembly, many heads of Government condemned the violation of human rights by Myanmar.

The Security Council has remained seized with the issue since the beginning and convened OS meetings so far.
The Human Rights Council as well as the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights remained actively engaged in the issue to gross violations of human rights in the Rakhine State.

The European Union .

and other friendly countries have also come up with strong and determined position towards resolution of this complex humanitarian problem.
We are also encouraged to see that on 15 October 2017 the Inter Parliamentary Union in its 13ih General Assembly held in St. Petersburg adopted a resolution entitled "Ending the grave human crisis, persecution and violent attacks on the Rohingya as a threat to international peace and security and ensuring their unconditional and safe return to their homeland in Myanmar".

The resolution was adopted by 1027 votes.


Excellencies, The Rohingyas have been facing with discrimination and persecution for decades under successive Myanmar governments.

They have been stripped off their basic rights gradually and with the adoption of a discriminatory citizenship law in 1982, they have formally been rendered stateless.

They have 5 ,_, i ' I I ' l " r· . '

r I ; . '


' ~ I r J Who are Rohinqvas Rohingyas of Arakan are not a race group per se developed from one tribal group or a single racial stock.

They are a mixed people from various races and cultures.

Initially, peoples of Indian origin, Bengalis, Arabs, Persians, Afghans, and Central Asians, came mostly as agriculturalists, traders, warriors and preachers, mingled with the local people and settled in Arakan.

02.
02.

Available historical records suggest that many centuries of human migration and settlement helped evolve Rohingya ethnicity in Arakan, presently called Rakhine.

Arakan was generally referred to as Roshang or Rohang in the chronicles of Bengal and Tripura Kings.

Arab and Muslim writers referred to Arakan as Rakhang or Arkhang.

03.
03.

The term Rooinga was first mentioned by famous linguist' Francis Buchanon in his work published in 1800 -"Comparative vocabulary of the languages of the Burma Empire" to denote some Mohammedan natives of Arakan.

04.

British historical and other past records account that Muslims in Rakhine existed long before its annexation by the British (1824 ).

During ih - 8th century Arab traders travelled to Arakan for business.

During that period they preached Islam to the locals.
During 15th to 17th century (up to 1666) south-eastern part of Bengal was intermittently under Arakan rule.

Naturally, this allowed unhindered movement of people within the same Kingdom.

04.

Rohingyas, who settled in Arakan/Rakhine after 1825 were indigenized well before independence of Burma in 1948.

According to Baxter Committee Report, the percentage of Muslim population born in Arakan/ Rakhine was 77% in 1931.
The Report also concluded that, all historical records suggest that the Rohingyas were indigenous to Arakan/Rakhine.

05.

In the 1947 Constitution, Rohingyas were given 'National Registration Certificate' with full legal and voting rights.

[Citizenship would be granted on the basis of having lived in the territory of Burma for at least eight out of previous ten years, Art 11 (iv)].

06.
06.

In 1954 Prime Minister of Myanmar U Nu stated in a public speech: "Rohingya has the equal status of nationality with Kachin, Kayah, Karen, Mon, Rakhine and Shan".

During 1948-61, 4 to 6 Rohingyas were elected as members of the parliament.

Rohingyas used to be represented in various political, social and educational institutions.

They exercised their franchise rights in all national and loca I elections till the general election in 2010.

Their voting rights were revoked in March 2015.


1982 Citizenship Act denied citizenship right of Rohingyas and identified them as 07.

'foreigners'.

08.

The Rohingyas were also recognized as 'members of Myanmar society' in Joint Statement issued in 1992 allowing repatriation of 236,599 displaced Rohingyas to their homeland in Myanmar.

Hon'ble Foreign Minister was closely involved in the negotiation of the repatriation.
I I t. I ' i L ' j I j I I I Annex 2 United Nation fact sheets on the Rohingya Issues t. ,, ~=I .. . '

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BANGLADESH: Cox's Bazar refugee population as of 05 Nov 2017 ISCG l l'll-ER S ECOR g~g~~~~f.TIC', ~,.

·- Ukhia Palong Khali Thangkhali 28,500.

~ 1~40 kml Cox's Bazar Shamla pur Settlemen 24,800 - - - H1ghways .
- - - Roads I 1 - - - International Boundary CJ Refugee Camp CJ Makeshift Settlement CJ New Spontaneous sites I c:=:J Uninhabited zones I CJ Settlements D District I ~ .

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·-··'~ I 1·, '·I BANGLADE S H I I r' i Dhaka~ _,- · '- ..... ~' 1 \ '··· ~ I I I M YA N M AR, L____ ____________ j o ': ikhongchhari Ghandung ) ' I Kutupalong RC 25p800 Ku tupalong MS + Balu kha li MS + Expansion Zones 431,500 MYANMAR Chakmarkul Maungdaw ll Teknaf \ .

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Teknaf Bay of Bengal Leda MS 23,300 Nayapara RC 34,600 Cre-utic-11 riot£- : 05 Nnterob':!r 2017 1 Sourc.~3 ;SCG vrJc~·.

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by the United Nations 10:0 153 Cox's Bazar Points of Entry as of 02 Nov 2017 ( -·· ,.. .... R~mu MYANMAR Bay of Bengal Legend /i.
Refugee Camp 6_ New Spontaneous Site t Additional Expansion ® Entry Point 9 Host Communitie s A Mak eshift SetUement Unton Upazila International border Printing date: 02 Nov 2011 Sources: UNHCR Author: UNHCR - Oangladesh Feedbacl(: bgdcotm@unhcrorg@unhetorg """' KUTUPALONG REFUGEE CAMP UKHIYA, COX'S BAZAR, BANGLADESH N ~- Boundery Line Road Line Drain Line UNHCR'I Office Water Tank Tu~a Tolltt Bathing Cubicle Electric Pos t Coconut Tr .. OtherTrtt Sol•r Llghte Round Cottege Poultry Garbege Pit Blogn Plent Shelter Situ 1 She her Ia equivalent to 6 Roome Shehera Completed {06-48) • 354 No5.
Shellers Completll!d (2011) • 91 Nos.

Tot.l Shelters Completed ~ Orlglnel Ar .

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• 21t,tl62,t 2 Sqm; 2,271,028,46 S qft; 52,14 Acre Completed New Shelters "' 367 thede New Are .. 270,710,75 Sqn; 1,912.,414.53 Sqft: 66.11 Acre 100M 0.10KM 150M 200M 0.20KM WASH & Sheher Unl U;xtate 7014 All Measurements are in Meters tDOF'T.

ZOitt UNHCR The UN Refugee Agency ~~-J.i•,5:·:··.,._ ~ ...... ~ ... - •· ., ; -~.--"l'.

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rRRRC FACT SHEET- Family counting (asor3o o ctober 2o17) OVERVIEW .

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The Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) launched on 4 October 2017 a family counting exercise, with the support of UNHCR.

A joint team of over 100 staff is collecting information on newly arrived refugee families and issuing them a card delivered by Bangladeshi authorities with a unique identifier number.
The family counting helps to identify vulnerabilities and specific needs among the refugee population and to harmonize assistance.

It will also be a useful baseline data for site planning, for instance on density per locations.

The RRRC and UNHCR are planning to count an estimated 105,000 new arrival families .
KEY FIGU RES Family counting progress Arrivals by place of origin Date of arrival 1 02,832 families counted with a total of 441, 64 7 individuals 39,982 26,964 18,062 "' ~., .. ~ .. "' ~"' 15,669 2.126 r r 'II "' ~N 70°/o of the Rohingya refugees come from Maungdaw Township 70% 22% 6% 1'Jio Ma ungdaw Buttvdaung Rathedaung Other 72°.,b of the counted families arrived between August and October 2017 63,521 61,000 41.000 21,000 1.000 .._ _ ·~ •.
M, A ~ ~332 _ ______ __ _ _ Prk>r to Aug 2017 Aug Sept Age distribution Family size Demography 54 °tb of the Rohin gya refugees are under 18 yea rs old Elderty~ 4% J Adu l t - 42% 4 1 % of the families have a standard family size of 4-5 persons 37% 41% 54% ...,__Ct1ildren 20% 52% of the refugees are women Male Female 2% 1 <1 1-4 5-11 12-17 "" 11" 0 "' "' 11% '" 23% 1·3 4-5 6·8 2% >8 19% 18-59 2% 1 >60 2% Areas covered (as of30 October) Breakdown of identified vulnerabilities* Single mo1her Serious modical condition Older person at risk Disability Child headed household Older person with child Separated child Single father Unaccompanied child D 1% 30°..b of the households have been identified with a vulnerability •ftgures are the percentage of total fami~es with at least one person in the famity with the specific need More than one specific need may be present within one family Assistance received** Shelter Food.
n% malarial 71% Sanitary material Medicine 47% 49% ~ a ...

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Bas1c household Item 29'/o Other 6% it' .. ~ .. F~gures are as self-reported by refugees and may not r ened actual assistance distributed 51% 16% -- '1!

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number of enumerators 11 5 Average number of families interviewed daily per enumerator: 49 Creation date: 13 October 2017 ~~~~~\\ \ ~ ~ ~ UNHCR ~o:;- The UN Refugee Agency DASHBOARD: BANGLADESH EMERGENCY e 6Q 7 ~ Q{)Q Total estimated new arrivals since 25 August 201 7 as of 5 November 2017 M FAMILYCOUNTING INDIA Families to be counted in Bal ukhali and Kutupalong 145,000 MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM~ 125 ,662 Families has been counted so far representing 87°/o of the targeted households.
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:.d 1\ NMAR fa Men48% Women 52% 2% u <1 [i] 1-4 2% 7% 11% - 5-11 11% T HEALTH 42,791 Refugees rece ived medical attention & counselling.
URTI LRTI Wat ery diarrhoea fJ 6% Gastritis 0 4% Injuri es ;) 3% 19% [ ._____, 12-17 · .

,··: · ·I 18-59 2% u >60 "'!,.

WASH 95,500 Refugees have access to water.

56,150 Refugees have access to latrines 7% 2% 23% 8 additional primary health centers are in operation 2 diarrheal treatment units with 80 bed capacity • Over 16,800 refugees <15 yrs received MR & OPV • Crude Mortality Rate= 0.2/1 0, 000 per day.
*** ~ .. FOOD & NUTRiTION 1123 • Over 8, 0 00 refugees received food through the community kitchen per day.
191 Latrines Boreholes • 3,302 children admitted for SAM/MAM treatment • 3 ,4 6 2 pregnant and lactating women admitted for treatment LACTATING c::::::J 1.493 PREGNANT L. I 1,969 MAM c== j 2,496 SAM c::J 806 ~ CORE RELIEF ~TEMS 42% Solar Lights 29306 54507 Bucket r::·:=:~J9f~790 Sleeping Mats Mosquito Nets Jerry Cans 35856 I 4'ii1E 44768 B Blankets Kitchen Sets Plastic Sheets 17928 30192 17928 Tents d~n 84331 90262 146227 149886 110557 Distribution ii1 Stock & Pipeline .............. [[] EDUCAT ~ ON 10 Schools reopened in Kutupalong "" ........ ,... .... ()() .... Ll) Girls • Boys ~,... 0 ,... 0 .... w .... ,... "'"' .... 0 .... r lN 10 Schools reopened in Nayapara Enrolled Attendance Enrolled ~ .... .... o ,... "' D Attendance Notes: 1) Population estimates as of 29 Oct (ISCG); 2) OCV: Oral cholera vaccine; 3) MR: measles rubella; 4) Oral polio vaccine - **NFI kit includes kitchen set, jerry cans, sleeping mats.
bucl<ets, solar lamp, blani(ets, mosquito net.

Creation date: 17 Oct 2017 Sources: UNHCR.

ISCG Feedback: turmine@unhcr.

org ••• SPHERE mortality threshold for SEA Region is 0.5/1 0,000/day 5) This dashboard presents achievements by UNHCR & its partners.
Kutupalong Nayapara Kutu along Refugee Camp and Zones Refugee families without any assistance as of 04 Nov 2017 .... ········ Zone UU ZoneW Zone ~ • Zo.,eWW Zone RR • • Zone ZZ • • • • Gtytntlung Naikhon~QtJari • r 'l ,-'//' I I I I ' I ' I I I ' I I ' ' ' ' ' I ' I I I I I ' ' I I I I I Hakim Jamtoll + + + Potlbonla rhr ~;,;}ym.s shown Md tht ftS~gni•~J~Ws lt:iltO on ltl11 mlp do nM imply otlk~ •ndors•mctnt or • cc&ptltN:I DJ' lt'oC" Unlled Nlf,oitS Sou rces: UNHCR, RRRC.
REACH, ISCG Author: UNHCR · Bangladesh Printing dato: 02 Nov 20H Focdback: bQdcOim@unhcr org • Refugee ramifies wiftx,ut any assistance \ I I \ I I I I I I I I STRUCTURE Clinic + A.
Distribution Center II Field OffiCe e Nu trition Centre Roa d Road -- Upatila .... Union <all other va lues> Location_T Makeshift Settlement D Refugee Came.___ ((I,)UNHCR ~ The UN Refugee Agency Key protection concerns This report presents the key findings and recommendations of a rapid assessment of protection needs of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, conducted by UNHCR and its partners, CODEC, Save the Children and Technical Assistance Inc. (TAl) in October 2017.
KEY PROTECTION CONCERNS I BANGLADESH EMERGENCY Key findings While most refugees managed to set up their own shelters and makeshift latrines, significant efforts are needed to address life-threatening gaps in accessing services and life saving assistance.

harassed, kidnapped or trafficked but also because of their lack appropriate clothing and sanitary napkins.

The absence of light is another main obstacle to movement at night, including to go to the bathroom.
Overall, women and girls do not feel safe in sanitation facilities, because toilets are not Most refugees indicated that they felt segregated , unclean and far away for relatively safe where they settled , with their shelter.

Some reported harassment some citing the presence of the when using latrines and bathing Bangladeshi Army as reassuring.

Most facilities.
Most facilities.

refugees added that they were afraid to leave the settlement for fear of getting Main obstacles to access life-saving lost but also of getting robbed, assistance include limited information kidnapped or harassed.
The surrounding on where to get support, long distance to forest, an important sources of wood , distribution points with unsteady bridges dry leaves and food, is also deemed and muddy pathways, long queues unsafe because of wild animals and without protection from the sun or rain.

risks of trafficking and theft.


Tensions Refugees estimate that female-headed within the refugee community was households with small children, pregnant reported as linked to insufficient aid, with women, the elderly and women without theft of food, for instance, but also a man in the family had the most increased quarrelling within families and difficulties in getting assistance.

in some cases, child abuses.

"We are scared of the hill site as there are elephants and snakes.
But we need to go there to collect wood for cooking."

Most communities are in the process or have re-established their traditional leadership systems.

These structures are traditionally dominated by men, with limited female participation, and often Adolescent girls associated with corruption .

Most 0911012017 refugees do not know how to resolve severe incidents, for which they would Women and girls are limiting their usually turn to the police.
movement because of the fear of being 2 UNHCR I 15 October 2017 KEY PROTECTION CONCERNS I BANGLADESH EMERGENCY Recommendations Ensure assistance: access to life-saving - Ensure access to food, shelter and clean water in all sites, including spontaneous sites; - Increase the number of distribution points; - Establish shaded areas and latrines at distribution points; - Establish support mechanisms for delivering of assistance to persons with specific needs; - Set up information campaign on assistance and services available, for instance through megaphones.
Improve safety and security: - Provide support and information upon arrival at the border; - Build bridges and improve pathways; - Establish signposting within refugee settlements; - Increase the number of segregated wash facilities with regular cleaning; - Set up public (solar) lights, especially around WASH facilities; - Offer an alternatives to firewood; - Increase garbage collection .
Enhance community empowerment: - Support the setting up of inclusive site female committees, with management representation; - Facilitate pathways assistance; for protection the establishment of incidents and referra l for - Advocate for facilitated access to biometric enrolment by the authorities.
2 UNHCR I 15 October 2017 KEY PROTECTION CONCERNS I BANGLADESH EMERGENCY Methodology This rapid assessment was conducted on 5-14 October 2017 in Cox's Bazar area by a team composed of six staff from three different agencies.

They conducted 16 focus group discussions with 190 newly arrived refugees from Myanmar.

A full report is available online.

The assessment was designed to collect qualitative data.

Findings therefore do not include information on the number of people affected by the issues raised.
Findings cannot be extrapolated to sites not covered by the assessment.

Due to the group discussion set up, certain people, particularly those with specific needs, may refrain from participating and from raising sensitive issues.

Finally, findings are based on ten group discussions .with adult and adolescent women and six with men.

There may therefore be a bias towards issues of particular concern to women.
Acknowledgements Thanks to the communities who, despite severe hardship, warmly welcomed the assessment teams and shared their experience and perspectives.

Thanks to the focus group facilitators from CODEC, Save the Children, Technical Assistance Inc. (TAl) and UNHCR who worked hard to capture and translate the perspectives of the population.

CONTACT US UNHCR Sub-Office in Cox's Bazar New cottages, Motel Road Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh Tel.
: +88 034163550 www.unhcr.org COVER PHOTOGRAPH: Fresh arrivals cross into Bangladesh through the Palongkhali border point in Ukhia, Cox's Bazar, on 9 Oct.

Many said they came from Buthidaung in northern Rakhine state.
(c) UNHCR/Roger Arnold UNHCR 115 October 2017 3 Annex 3 International Rescue Committee fact sheets on the Rohingya Issues IRC Bangladesh Rohingya Refugee Crisis Emergency Response Bulletin October 27- November 8, 2017 IRC Prtqarrrni'g in BarYJiadesh is ~ \Nilh the kird Sl.q:x:rt of StrntirrJ Vllx:htelirf:J ard the SIDA RRM I NT E R NAT I 0 N A l ~~~~., ~ CONTEXT UPATE latest 10M Needs and Population The Monitoring assessment shows that as of 7 November 611k people have crossed into Bangladesh from Myanmar since 25 August, bringing the total number of arrivals since October 16 in urgent need of support to 823,805 (ISCG Sit Rep 7 Nov).
Given current rates of influx, knowledge of the ongoing crisis in Myanmar and estimates of Rohingya is population estimated that a further 2 - 300k people may arrive over the next month, bringing the total of people in urgent need of assistance to over 1 m illion.

in Myanmar remaining it SMART NUTRITION SURVEY PRELIMINARY FINDINGS • 24 .3% prevalence of Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) and 7.5% of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM).

This is nearly 4 times the emergency threshold.


• Prevalence of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) increased tenfold since Nov 20 16 (from 0.7% to 7.5%); • Malnutrition among children 6-59 months exceeds the W HO Emergency threshold by 15%; • More than half of children 6-59 months among new arrivals have anemia ; • Less than 10% of children 6-23 months reportedly achieved minimum dietary diversity (4 of 7 food groups).

These are preliminary findings.


Complete results will be available at the end of November.

The survey was conducted by ACF and partners.

With less than 50,000 refugees hosted by local families, the great majority are forced to live in camps with almost no roads, lights and sanitary facilities.

While the Bangladesh Government has initiated infrastructure development, including 1 Okm of roads and 40 lamp posts, the actual needs in the camps are immense and growing by the day.
Nutrition survey findings (see box above) from Kutupalong Refugee Camp are shocking, more so as this site is comparatively well served, with a large number of pre-August refugees.

A second nutrition survey of more vulnerable, recently settled communities is expected to report on 21 November and we fear that SAM rates will be even higher.
As identified in the IRC's October Multi-Sector Assessment, malnutrition rates are driven by poor hygiene and sanitation, poor health service coverage, low levels of food security and limited access to safe drinking water: a recent WHO survey found that 97% of water points don't meet standards.
Meanwhile the IRC and other international agencies with significant humanitarian expertise, resources and personnel on stand-by are unable to rapidly deliver programming at full capacity due to restrictions related to INGO registration and proj ect authorization, as well as visa constraints.
The IRC applied for registration on 11 October and has seen some progress in its registration, but no indication of when and if registration will be approved, despite intervention from IRC Director Queen Rania of Jordan and the Bangladeshi Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Programming is delivered in partnership with a range of national, international and UN actors.

With registration, the IRC will scale up directly delivered programming in line with its full capacity. '

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From Harm To Home 1 Rescue.org .


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·--~'J .. ,_ "~ IRC Programme Update ., With the entire refugee population requiring emergency food assistance, and an estimated 144,305 pregnant and lactating women and children under 5 in need of supplementary feeding, the need for nutrition programming is ever more urgent.

In partnership with ACF, the IRC is opening two Stabilization Centers to treat malnourished children under five.
Medical staff (2 Medical doctors, 2 Medical Assistants and 10 Nurses) have been recruited and they are currently undertaking a 4 day training course delivered by the IRC Nutrition Coordinator and ACF colleagues.

Despite challenges in finalising the site location (a lack of central planning of services adds complications) sites have now been confirmed and construction is underway.

We anticipate that services will begin at both sites on Wednesday November 15.
Crowded living conditions with lack of adequate water and sanitation continue to present risks of communicable disease outbreaks.

According to the WHO Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Bulletin built on Early Warning and Response System data, in the last two months 139 suspected measles cases were reported, 90% of which affected children under five, while two thirds of refugee children did not receive a measles vaccination during the most recent campaign.
It should be noted that there is general underreporting of health services by multiple agencies.

Finding space for setting up health facilities remains a challenge given a lack of centralised planning of services in most settlements.

With our partner ACF we are building on existing nutrition and mental health services, adding primary health care, child protection and GBV prevention and response to create an 'everything under one roof service centre.
All staff have now been recruited and are undergoing training, and construction of extension facilities was completed yesterday.

Teams will begin operations on Monday 13 November.

Women and children are exposed to tremendous levels of risk during displacement.

Trafficking and abuse are a pressing concern in a context of acute vulnerability of women and children, lack of livelihood opportunities for refugees, and proliferation of criminal networks.
As many as 22,484 unaccompanied and separated children have been identified by the Bangladesh authorities so far, and presumably many more are still unrecognized.

To increase the quality of available care, IRC is providing guidance to the humanitarian community on GBV and Child Protection standards.

In the last two weeks IRC delivered four learning sessions and three short sessions focussed on case management support to 10M/Pulse, Action Aid, UNHCRITAI, and HELP.
IRC continues to provide guidance to GBV safe spaces and presented a Women Safe Spaces toolkit to the partners.

A Child Protection case management toolkit was also finalized.

IRC is providing technical and financial support to ActionAid to open a Women and Girls Safe Space, providing GBV services and services for the clinical management of rape.

FD7 approval is expected in the coming weeks .


With funding from UNHCR, the IRC is supporting local partner RTMI in opening a Comprehensive Women's Center' and two smaller Integrated Women Centers with funding from UNHCR, providing an integrated package of primary health care, sexual and reproductive health care, GBV and child protection services.

Locations for two of the three sites have been identified, and land clearance has started, as well as recruitment and procurement.
Centers are expected to open on the 20th of November.

For more Catherine.mahony@rescue.org information, please contact Catherine Mahony, IRC Field Director, Bangladesh From Harm To Home !

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: :..:; I I As of 7 November 611 k people have crossed into Bangladesh from Myanmar since 25 August, bringing the total number of arrivals since October 16 in urgent need of support to 823,805 (ISCG Sit Rep 7 Nov).
Given current rates of influx, knowledge of the ongoing crisis in Myanmar and estimates of Rohingya population remaining in Myanmar it is estimated that a further 2 - 300k people may arrive over the next month, bringing the total of people in urgent need of assistance to over 1 million.

Conflict and human rights abuses in Rakhine state have contributed to the displacement of the Rohingya since 2012, with historical tensions dating back to its independence from Britain in 1948.
The spike in movement follows violence resulting from Burmese military counter-offensive operations, after armed Rohin~ya militants attacked border guard police on 25 August 2017.

The crisis has inflicted a massive psychological, physical, economic and social blow on the affected communities.

There are widespread reports of extreme, systematic and extensive violence nAI"nAtr"t"rl in what appears to be a deliberate attempt to eradicate the Rohingya from Myanmar.
Rape, dismemberment, murder and burning of villages are reported to have been used by military and militia as a means to force flight ·of the Rohingya.

Consequently people fled with little to no possessions, undertaking long unplanned journeys of a week or longer, during which they slept unsheltered in forests, swam through rivers and many did this alone or without the protection of family members who were murdered in attacks.
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:',!,:~:;:~_~q:;~]!~--;~-,:~~ Oct 2016- Feb 2017 0 Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) targeted police outposts.

Burmese counter-offensive led to the displacement of arourid 7 4,000 people into Bangladesh over the next four months.

ARSA targeted 30 police posts and an army base.

The military/police respond with "clearance" operations.

An unprecedented wave of Rohingya displacement starts.
25 Aug 2017 1 ICG August 27, 2017, https;//'W'WW .crisisqroup.org/asla/south-east-asia/myanmarfmyanmar -tlps-new-crlsis-after-rakhine-state-attacks / 5-6 Sep2017 5 November 2017 Peak of refugee exodus, wi\h 58.000 refugees reported to have crossed the · · ' border in 48 hours only .

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Preliminary findings from validated ACF Nutrition Survey show Severe .

Acute Malnutrition rates at 7.25% in Kutupalong Refugee Camp, and Global .
Acute Malnutrition rates of 24.3% 7 November 2017 10M Needs and PopulationMonito~ngreports 611,000 arrivals since 25 August, for a total of 823,$05 Rphingya in Bangladesh I .

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the priority needs of the influx Rohingya people.


2 Key findings are: • Nearly half of all pregnant women have not received medical attention, and 41% of pregnant women do not know where to access health care, • Around a third of respondents are forced to defecate in the open, while 95% of people lack access to adequate clean water, presenting a huge risk of disease outbreak.
• Over three-quarters of the surveyed population lack food, with the majority eating fewer meals a day or switching their diet to cheaper foods.

• least one unaccompanied child.

• Harmful practices in supporting survivors of sexual violence - including men working in the safe spaces and identifying survivors to the .

community, raising risk of double victimization 7.5% of teachers interviewed know of at as they fled huge GBV risk in Rakhine, and now risk exposure and retaliation in Cox's Bazaar.
Estimated Humanitarian Needs3 • 1 00% of refugees need access to health services • 748,197 refugees require assistance with shelter or essential household items • 453,000 girls and boys need education services.
• 380,000 people need Immediate water & sanitation assistance • 120,000 refugees are pregnant & lactating women need nutrition support • 63,000 children are malnourished and need treatment 2 https://reliefweb .I nUreportlba ngladesh/october -20 17 -assessment-report -u ndocu me nled-mya n mar -n allonal s-i nfl u x -cox-s-baza r 3 Inter-Sector Coordination Group, Cox's Bazar.
The ISCG is made of UN agencies and relevant humanitarian organization: https://www.human~arianresponse.info/system/files/documentslfiles/171 015 _weekly _lscg_situation_update_finai_O.pdf ' L_.

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/ .. • ' ; The IRC is delivering essential, lifesaving services in partnership with UN agencies, INGOs and local NGOs: 1.
Saves the lives of severely malnourished children with serious health complications In collaboration with Action Centre Ia Faim (ACF}, the IRC is establishing two Stabilization Centers for the management of severe acute malnutrition for children with serious medical complications.

2.

'One-stop' shops for lifesaving services Knowing how difficult it is for people to walk long distances over difficult terrain to reach different services, the IRC is combining essential services under one roof.
In collaboration with ACF we provide a multi-sector package of critical services through six static Integrated Multi-Sector Teams.

Services include primary health care, disease early warning, nutrition support, mental health care, GBV and child protection services including family reunification.

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Responding to extreme trauma for women, boys and girls, strengthening existing services Women and children are the bulk of the refugee population and it is known that many have survived extremely traumatic experiences, including systematic rape and torture.

In collaboration with UNFPA, UNHCR, 10M and their partners, the iRC provides expert capacity in responding to GBV and protecting children in crisis settings.

4.
4.

Comprehensive Care for Women and Girls The IRC Comprehensive Women's Center (CWC) is designed specifically for women and girls, specializing in reproductive health care, including clinical management of rape, complications of pregnancy and childbirth and treatment and prevention of Sexually Transmitted Infections.

GBV services including case management and psychosocial support, as well as nutrition care for children are also be part of the comprehensive package of services.
By embedding sensitive services like GBV and reproductive health into more general women spaces, confidentiality is ensured and stigma is removed from seeking assistance.

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Needs are enormous, responders are overwhelmed, the IRC can help more • t .. ···· ~ · ... "'it ······· • < \i}'r "./~, .. :.-·; '¥;' As a new actor in Bangladesh the IRC needs to be registered as an INGO in order to operate independently and directly deliver services, which will enable us to rapidly scale up services, bring our expertise as global leaders to support local partners and harness more resources to respond.
On the 11th of October we submitted our application for registration to the NGO Affairs Bureau and we've been grateful for the support of the Minister for Foreign Affairs in approving registration.

However, progress has been slow- in the past it has taken 6- 12 months for INGOs to obtain registration- the Rohlngya people cannot wait this long.

The IRC requests that the Home Affairs Ministry kindly expedites registration or issues temporary registration to enable essential direct programming to begin.

2.
2.

Systems to approve programmes must be accelerated and simplified All emergency projects must go through a closely scrutinized and complex process of authorization to obtain an FD7, or permission to operate.

Assurances have been given that approval would be made within 24 hours, but in fact it takes weeks, if at all approved.

Approvals are only given for one or two months at a time, affecting programme continuity and increasing administrative bun:len.
Additionally, agencies struggle to obtain visas for international staff, whose skills are essential to build capacity and scale up rapidly.

We need a simple, quick process for project authorization that enable us to rapidly deliver programming in essential sectors.

3.
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Rohingya people deserve a safe space to live, for as long as they need it The GoB and its people have generously opened their borders and hearts to people in desperate need, with an outpouring of support coming from communities all over the country.

The Rohingya people fled in fear of their lives - the IRC assessment showed that only 11% of people want to return to Myanmar.
Rohingya people must be provided with safe and dignified shelter and assistance, including livelihoods opportunities to enable them to live independently and contribute to the local economy.

The international community should enable the GoB to continue to support the Rohingya until they can safely and willingly return to a place they can call home.

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