US Cuts Food Rations for Rohingya Refugees, Sparking Fear and Despair

Rohingya Refugees Face Hunger and Despair as US Cuts Food Rations

Rohingya refugees living in overcrowded camps in Bangladesh are facing a bleak future as the United States prepares to slash their food rations in half starting next month. This decision has sparked widespread fear and frustration among the refugees, who rely entirely on humanitarian aid for their survival.

The World Food Program (WFP), the main UN food agency, announced the cuts due to a funding shortfall. The monthly ration for Rohingya refugees will be reduced from $12.50 to $6, leaving them with less nutritious food and pushing them deeper into hunger.

"Any reduction in food assistance will push them deeper into hunger and force them to resort to desperate measures just to survive," said WFP country director Dom Scalpelli.

The cuts come at a time when the Rohingya are already facing immense hardship. They fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar in 2017 to escape a brutal military crackdown, and they continue to face discrimination and denial of citizenship in their home country.

The situation is further exacerbated by the ongoing armed conflict in Myanmar, which has displaced millions of people and created a humanitarian crisis.

The reduction in food rations will have a devastating impact on the health and well-being of the Rohingya refugees. It will increase the risk of malnutrition, especially among children, and could lead to a rise in preventable deaths.

The international community has been urged to step up its support for the Rohingya refugees and to pressure Myanmar to create conditions that would allow them to return home safely and with dignity.