The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced that about 600,000 Myanmar Muslims in Rakhine State, including about 148,000 displaced people in camps, villages and displacement sites, are still extremely vulnerable and need humanitarian support.
UNHCR spokesperson Mateus Soltmarsh said in a press conference via video conference that the security situation in all parts of Myanmar is “rapidly deteriorating due to conflicts and fighting, which has led to the number of internally displaced people reaching more than 800,000 people in various regions of the country. The displacement rate is expected to rise in the coming weeks and months.”
Soltmarsh expressed concern that humanitarian aid delivery continues to be difficult in many parts of the Southeast Asian country due to roadblocks and challenges in obtaining approvals to reach those in need.
He pointed to the impact of the precarious humanitarian situation on the humanitarian situation, especially with the increase in vulnerabilities associated with high prices of basic commodities, loss of jobs and income, interruption of basic services and insecurity for long periods.
He stated that UNHCR’s response to this ongoing crisis will require more than $56 million to ensure adequate humanitarian assistance, support vulnerable communities, mitigate the risks of negative coping strategies, prevent forced returns, and build capacity to deal with the harsh living conditions experienced by these displaced people in Myanmar.
