These are the faces(taken with permission) of the Rohingya. They have traveled from another land, from Myanmar where they were without citizenship of any kind, without the written word. Those who were lucky and I mean very lucky, may have gone to school and even up through college. But they were never made to feel a part of the land they lived on for over a century. Their spirits and their bodies beaten they left their country for another, and this country now they still do not have citizenship. What will happen to them? Will they find peace in their new Homeland or will the poor country of Bangladesh who’s own people are also suffering be able to take on this responsibility? Likely not, and it is maybe up to the international community to pull the weight but it’s a complex situation.
We see patients daily, asking them to hydrate and then it occurs to us all, is this even possible? These wells exist all over the camps but they are not nearly deep enough, the WHO reported in November that 62% of available water available to households is contaminated with high levels of E.Coli. It is no wonder they do not feel safe in drinking the water, it is no wonder almost every patient we see is dehydrated.
They wait in lines to receive bags of food which was originally being distributed per head of household rather than the number of members in the house (if you can call it that). Only recently has the rule changed...it’s not uncommon for families to have 6-7 children! Proper vitamins and nutrients are often missing in their diet leading to diseases that have long since been eradicated in other countries due to dietary supplementation in the foods we eat. It is no wonder that malnutrition runs rampant!
The rainy season is a known entity here, often with cyclones occurring as well. Many of these camps are situated on dirt hills, in clear danger of mudslides. Beyond that the rainy season will be a nidus for infection as water borne illness like typhoid, shigella will arise. There are many talks happening on how to fix this—relocation versus cyclone-proofing homes. There are close to 1 million refugees in Bangladesh right now...i hope this large scale attempt to prevent damages from flood rains will be successful.
But what about the host country..how do they feel? There are banners that suggest hostility, I can understand the perspective I suppose. Bangladesh itself is a resource-poor country who’s own people are suffering disease and the effects of floods. In many ways the host community has been incredibly hospitable—but they must also think of their own demise. The homes we pass along the route to the camps are not necessarily any better than those in the camps. I am sure that the daily movement of large vans filled with international workers can be disruptive. But, this is an international crisis—I am aware it is not the only one currently happening in the world but it is a matter of real urgency. Talks of repatriation are ongoing but will the Rohingya be guaranteed safety ? Will they be allowed citizenship and therefore the right to an education and freedom ?
I’ll end with this. Nothing has been more powerful than the stories that were so graciously shared. Today my patient said that while he was crossing over a river en route to Bangladesh two of his sons were shot dead right in front of his eyes. He worries about being sent back to Myanmar without the guarantee of safety and even then..would it truly be safe. His back pains and leg pains are from a former life of labor. He sits at home mostly now, thinking of the loss he’s suffered and what his future looks like. His facial expression speaks volumes mostly filled with struggle and strife and the will to go on surviving despite a very unknown future.
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