Latest news with #Rohingya
Arab News
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Community schools offer hope for Rohingya refugee children as US aid cuts hit education
DHAKA: As US aid cuts have forced the UN's children agency UNICEF to suspend thousands of learning centers for Rohingya refugee children sheltering in camps in Bangladesh, a small number of community-led schools have now become their only source of education. The Rohingya, a mostly Muslim ethnic minority, have fled from Myanmar's Rakhine State to neighboring Bangladesh for decades to escape persecution, with more than 700,000 arriving in 2017 following a military crackdown that the UN said was a textbook case of ethnic cleansing by Myanmar. Today, more than 1.3 million Rohingya on Bangladesh's southeast coast are cramped inside 33 camps in Cox's Bazar — the world's largest refugee settlement. The refugees, who are almost completely reliant on humanitarian aid, recently faced another blow, after the US suspended aid funding worldwide in January. Washington has been the largest donor, having contributed $300 million in 2024, or 55 percent of all foreign aid for the Rohingya. Those and other foreign aid cuts 'have worsened the already existing education crisis for 437,000 school-age children in Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh,' Human Rights Watch said in a report published this week. It is only in schools established by the Rohingya community that some children are able to get their education now, the group said, after UNICEF-run learning centers were forced to shut due to a lack of funding. These schools offer a small glimmer of hope for many young children in the refugee camps. 'School is important for me because it gives me knowledge, enhances my life skills, makes me think for my community, makes me a better person and makes me hopeful for a better future. As a refugee, I don't have many opportunities, but education can open doors for me and help me build a better life,' Mohammed Shofik, a 15-year-old Rohingya boy enrolled at a community school in Cox's Bazar, told Arab News on Friday. His dream is to become a scientist or doctor. At school, he is learning how to experiment and use tools, as well as how to listen and observe carefully, which he thinks are helpful to achieve his goals. 'Education is the only way to reach my dream and help my community,' he said. But only a small number of Rohingya children are able to enroll in the community-led schools, as they do not receive any charitable support, Arif Salam, a teacher in one such school in the camps, told Arab News. 'Community schools are not funded by any donors and NGOs. Our only funding source is the tuition fees received from the parents of our students. But we can't provide services to all the children,' he said. 'Only a few students in the camps can afford the learning in the community schools. Most of the students are enrolled with the UNICEF-run learning centers. The children who are enrolled with UNICEF learning centers are now sitting idle as they have nothing to do. It will create an irreparable loss for their education.' There are about 150 community schools across the Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar. Each of the schools have about 10 to 15 teachers, who provide education for 150 to 400 students. Without government support or private donor funding, the schools charge parents monthly tuition fees ranging from around $0.50 for class one up to $6.50 for class 12, a fee that many cannot afford, as the Rohingya are not allowed to work. 'The closure of learning centers brought huge educational losses,' Salam said. 'For our Rohingya children, it's a hopeless situation.' While the Bangladeshi government has not encouraged any informal system of education, such initiatives should be considered to address the education crisis, said Asif Munir, a renowned Bangladeshi expert on migration and refugees. 'Some kind of education is required for them because otherwise there is a possibility that the younger children, as they grow up, not just uneducated, they might be getting involved in informal work or even sort of risky work as well,' Munir warned. 'With education they can still hope for some kind of proper work where they can use their education in their life. So, in that sense, at least, the government can consider this as a good sort of coping strategy.' HRW had also urged the Bangladeshi government to 'recognize and fund community-led schools to increase their capacity,' and highlighted that recognition could help encourage donor support. For the young Rohingya whose lives have been plagued with increasing uncertainties, going to school helps them chart a path for the future. 'My dream is to become a motivational speaker. In school, our teachers teach us good listening, delivering strong messages, storytelling, using body language, confidence-building techniques and leadership skills,' 10th-grader Rohul Amin told Arab News. 'I think with all these knowledge and skills, I can achieve my dream one day.' For Amin, school also helps him learn about his identity as a Rohingya. 'I especially focus on the history subject because history makes me understand our identity. As a Rohingya, I have no identity. I mostly try to remember our land and our identity.'
Bangkok Post
10 hours ago
- Business
- Bangkok Post
UN conference seeks foreign aid rally as Trump cuts bite
MADRID - Spain will host a UN conference next week seeking fresh backing for development aid as swingeing cuts led by US President Donald Trump and global turmoil hinder progress on fighting poverty, hunger and climate change. French President Emmanuel Macron, South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa and Daniel Noboa of Ecuador will headline the around 70 heads of state and government in the southern city of Seville from June 30 to July 3. But a US snub at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development underlines the challenges of corralling international support for the sector. Joining the leaders are UN chief Antonio Guterres, more than 4,000 representatives from businesses, civil society and financial institutions, including World Bank head Ajay Banga. Such development-focused gatherings are rare -- and the urgency is high as the world's wealthiest countries tighten their purse strings and development goals set for 2030 slip from reach. Guterres has estimated the funding gap for aid at $4 trillion per year. Trump's evisceration of funding for USAID -- by far the world's top foreign aid contributor -- has dealt a hammer blow to humanitarian campaigns. Britain, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium are among the other rich nations that have announced recent aid cuts as economic and security priorities shift and national budgets are squeezed. From fighting AIDS in southern Africa to educating displaced Rohingya children in Bangladesh, the retreat is having an instant impact. The UN refugee agency has announced it will slash 3,500 jobs as funds dried up, affecting tens of millions of the world's most vulnerable citizens. International cooperation is already under increasing strain during devastating conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, while Trump's unpredictable tariff war plunges global trade into disarray. - Debt burden - Reforming international finance and alleviating the huge debt burden under which low-income countries sag are key points for discussion. The budgets of many developing nations are constrained by servicing debt, which surged after the Covid-19 pandemic, curbing critical investment in health, education and infrastructure. According to a recent report commissioned by the late Pope Francis and coordinated by Nobel laureate economist Joseph Stiglitz, 3.3 billion people live in countries that fork out more on interest payments than on health. Critics have singled out US-based bulwarks of the post-World War II international financial system, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, for reform. Seville represents "a unique opportunity to reform an international financial system that is outdated, dysfunctional and unfair", Guterres said. At a preparatory meeting at UN headquarters in New York in June, countries except the United States unanimously agreed a text to be adopted in Seville. The document reaffirms commitment to achieving the 2030 UN sustainable development goals on eliminating poverty, hunger and promoting gender equality. It focuses on reforming tax systems, notably by improving the Global South's representation within international financial institutions. The text also calls on development banks to triple their lending capacity, urges lenders to ensure predictable finance for essential social spending and for more cooperation against tax evasion. The United States said it opposed initiatives that encroach on national sovereignty, interfere with international financial institutions and include "sex-based preferences". - Lack of ambition? - While the European Union celebrated achieving a consensus, NGOs have criticised the commitment for lacking ambition. For Mariana Paoli, global advocacy lead at Christian Aid, the text "weakens key commitments on debt and fossil fuel subsidies -- despite urgent calls from the Global South". "Shielded by US obstructionism, the Global North continues to block reform. This isn't leadership -- it's denial." Previous failures by rich countries to keep their promises have eroded trust. After promising to deliver $100 billion of climate finance a year to poorer nations by 2020, they only hit the target in 2022. Acrimonious negotiations at last year's UN climate summit in Azerbaijan ended with rich countries pledging $300 billion in annual climate finance by 2035, decried as too low by activists and developing nations. Independent experts have estimated the needs upwards of $1 trillion per year. Spain will be the first developed country to host the UN development finance conference. The inaugural edition took place in Mexico in 2002, followed by Qatar in 2008 and Ethiopia in 2015.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
11 hours ago
- Politics
- First Post
Bangladesh's sovereignty at stake: Humanitarian corridors or geopolitical Trojan Horses?
As Bangladesh grapples with Myanmar's enduring humanitarian crisis, the recent proposal for a United Nations-backed humanitarian corridor connecting Chittagong with Myanmar's Rakhine State, while outwardly noble, poses significant risks to national sovereignty and regional stability. These corridors, historically depicted as lifelines, often bear the subtle marks of strategic intervention, geopolitical exploitation, and foreign intelligence operations. In March 2025, UN Secretary-General António Guterres proposed establishing a humanitarian corridor from Bangladesh's critical port city of Chittagong into Myanmar's violence-ridden Rakhine State. This corridor aims to deliver aid to over two million displaced persons suffering under famine conditions. Bangladesh's interim government, currently led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, linked corridor approval directly to Rohingya refugee repatriation—a political quid pro quo potentially fraught with security risks. Yet, despite assurances, the corridor's broader implications remain troublingly unaddressed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Geopolitical precedent consistently demonstrates the vulnerabilities inherent in such humanitarian corridors. Syria, Libya, and Afghanistan offer stark illustrations: humanitarian routes became pipelines for foreign military equipment, intelligence operations, and covert proxy support. The Chittagong corridor risks mirroring these patterns, transforming a vital economic hub and strategic port into an intelligence foothold or even a forward operating base for foreign powers. Already, credible intelligence indicates that external powers are manoeuvring along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border region. Reports allege U.S. intentions to leverage humanitarian channels in support of anti-junta groups such as the Arakan Army (AA), including drone operations based near Cox's Bazar. Such actions align closely with Washington's broader Indo-Pacific strategy, which aims to counter Chinese regional influence. Conversely, China's recent joint military exercises with Bangladesh, dubbed 'Golden Friendship-2024', similarly hint at strategic positioning disguised as regional cooperation. These manoeuvres risk drawing Bangladesh into unwanted great-power rivalries, further destabilising an already volatile region. Compounding these threats is the alarming influence of non-state actors. The AA now exerts significant control over a 271-kilometre stretch of Bangladesh's border with Rakhine. Local reports from Bandarban reveal frequent armed AA movements, sometimes seemingly with tacit official tolerance. Should a humanitarian corridor materialise without stringent oversight, there's a genuine risk it would be hijacked to facilitate arms trafficking and insurgent financing, intensifying cross-border conflict and inviting retaliatory actions from Myanmar's junta. Equally concerning is the role of international NGOs, some of which have previously come under suspicion. Dhaka has intensified scrutiny of NGOs after credible allegations emerged regarding espionage and anti-repatriation activism disguised as humanitarian activities. The potential exploitation of humanitarian access by NGOs for espionage purposes is a documented reality elsewhere and must not be underestimated here. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Meanwhile, domestically, Bangladesh's interim government faces growing criticism over its unilateral handling of border security policy. Decisions regarding the humanitarian corridor appear to be detached from military counsel, exacerbating civilian-military tensions and creating exploitable vulnerabilities. The disastrous 2025 BDR massacre exposed critical institutional weaknesses within Bangladesh's security apparatus, revealing precisely how foreign actors might exploit internal fractures. Regional reactions further complicate the scenario. India has strengthened its border surveillance with Bangladesh due to legitimate fears of insurgency spillover and refugee inflows. Yet, ASEAN's continued paralysis regarding Myanmar's crisis leaves Bangladesh increasingly isolated, forcing it into risky unilateral actions. The UN's humanitarian initiative, though well-intentioned, conspicuously lacks safeguards to prevent the corridor's misuse. Without these measures, Bangladesh risks being perceived—rightly or wrongly—as aligning with specific geopolitical agendas, further undermining its diplomatic independence and national sovereignty. Historical lessons offer grim caution. Humanitarian corridors have repeatedly been exploited as instruments of geopolitical manipulation. In Syria and Afghanistan, these corridors turned into conduits for arms trafficking, proxy warfare, and covert foreign bases. The Balkan refugee crisis vividly illustrated how corridors fractured sovereign control, fostering human trafficking and smuggling networks. Such outcomes must compel Bangladesh to reconsider the operational parameters of the corridors rigorously. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Bangladesh now stands at a crossroads. Genuine humanitarian needs in Myanmar must be addressed, but never at the cost of sovereignty or regional stability. Dhaka must demand ironclad international guarantees, including UN-monitored aid operations, binding agreements that prohibit foreign military assets or intelligence activities, and strict oversight of NGO involvement. Simultaneously, a transparent, inclusive national policy debate involving military, civilian leadership, and civil society stakeholders is essential to protect sovereignty, border integrity, and long-term stability. Humanitarian initiatives should alleviate suffering—not serve as backdoors for geopolitical interference. Bangladesh must act decisively to ensure the Chittagong-Rakhine corridor remains exactly what it claims to be: a channel for compassion and not a geopolitical Trojan horse. The writer is the Director General of the Centre for Land Warfare Studies Lt Gen Dushyant Singh (Retd) is Director General, Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS). Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost's views. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Int'l Business Times
16 hours ago
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
UN Conference Seeks Foreign Aid Rally As Trump Cuts Bite
Spain will host a UN conference next week seeking fresh backing for development aid as swingeing cuts led by US President Donald Trump and global turmoil hinder progress on fighting poverty, hunger and climate change. French President Emmanuel Macron, South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa and Daniel Noboa of Ecuador will headline the around 70 heads of state and government in the southern city of Seville from June 30 to July 3. But a US snub at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development underlines the challenges of corralling international support for the sector. Joining the leaders are UN chief Antonio Guterres, more than 4,000 representatives from businesses, civil society and financial institutions, including World Bank head Ajay Banga. Such development-focused gatherings are rare -- and the urgency is high as the world's wealthiest countries tighten their purse strings and development goals set for 2030 slip from reach. Guterres has estimated the funding gap for aid at $4 trillion per year. Trump's evisceration of funding for USAID -- by far the world's top foreign aid contributor -- has dealt a hammer blow to humanitarian campaigns. Britain, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium are among the other rich nations that have announced recent aid cuts as economic and security priorities shift and national budgets are squeezed. From fighting AIDS in southern Africa to educating displaced Rohingya children in Bangladesh, the retreat is having an instant impact. The UN refugee agency has announced it will slash 3,500 jobs as funds dried up, affecting tens of millions of the world's most vulnerable citizens. International cooperation is already under increasing strain during devastating conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, while Trump's unpredictable tariff war plunges global trade into disarray. Reforming international finance and alleviating the huge debt burden under which low-income countries sag are key points for discussion. The budgets of many developing nations are constrained by servicing debt, which surged after the Covid-19 pandemic, curbing critical investment in health, education and infrastructure. According to a recent report commissioned by the late Pope Francis and coordinated by Nobel laureate economist Joseph Stiglitz, 3.3 billion people live in countries that fork out more on interest payments than on health. Critics have singled out US-based bulwarks of the post-World War II international financial system, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, for reform. Seville represents "a unique opportunity to reform an international financial system that is outdated, dysfunctional and unfair", Guterres said. At a preparatory meeting at UN headquarters in New York in June, countries except the United States unanimously agreed a text to be adopted in Seville. The document reaffirms commitment to achieving the 2030 UN sustainable development goals on eliminating poverty, hunger and promoting gender equality. It focuses on reforming tax systems, notably by improving the Global South's representation within international financial institutions. The text also calls on development banks to triple their lending capacity, urges lenders to ensure predictable finance for essential social spending and for more cooperation against tax evasion. The United States said it opposed initiatives that encroach on national sovereignty, interfere with international financial institutions and include "sex-based preferences". While the European Union celebrated achieving a consensus, NGOs have criticised the commitment for lacking ambition. For Mariana Paoli, global advocacy lead at Christian Aid, the text "weakens key commitments on debt and fossil fuel subsidies -- despite urgent calls from the Global South". "Shielded by US obstructionism, the Global North continues to block reform. This isn't leadership -- it's denial." Previous failures by rich countries to keep their promises have eroded trust. After promising to deliver $100 billion of climate finance a year to poorer nations by 2020, they only hit the target in 2022. Acrimonious negotiations at last year's UN climate summit in Azerbaijan ended with rich countries pledging $300 billion in annual climate finance by 2035, decried as too low by activists and developing nations. Independent experts have estimated the needs upwards of $1 trillion per year. Spain will be the first developed country to host the UN development finance conference. The inaugural edition took place in Mexico in 2002, followed by Qatar in 2008 and Ethiopia in 2015.
India Today
16 hours ago
- Politics
- India Today
Poll body to go door-to-door nationwide to remove illegal migrants from voter list
The Election Commission of India (ECI) will now conduct door-to-door verification of voter lists across the country, starting with Bihar. This intensive voter list survey aims to ensure the integrity of electoral rolls by identifying and removing the names of illegal migrants and ineligible Bihar, the first state to undergo this exercise, voters who were enroled in the 2003 voter list will not be required to submit any documents. This group includes around 5 crore individuals. However, those who enroled after 2003 will have to submit valid documents to prove their identity and eligibility. In some other states, the cut-off year will be the 2004 voter verification is part of a special intensive revision that the ECI is launching in six states: Bihar, Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, all of which are scheduled to hold Assembly elections either this year or in early 2026. While Bihar goes to the polls in October-November 2025, the remaining states are set for elections in March-April 2026. The opposition parties have raised concerns about political bias in this move, while the Commission maintains that it is a constitutional responsibility to ensure fair and clean ECI has assured that all steps taken will strictly follow the legal framework laid down in Article 326 of the Constitution and Section 16 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. WhileThe Commission's move focusses on identifying illegal foreign migrants who have entered the voter list using fake documents. It comes amid ongoing actions in several states against Bangladeshi and Rohingya officers will visit households for physical verification of voters. Special emphasis will be placed on verifying those who have migrated into the state from elsewhere or are first-time applicants. All such individuals must submit a declaration form with documentary proof of will need to prove that they were born in India before July 1, 1987. If they were born between July 1, 1987, and December 2, 2004, they must also provide documents establishing their parents' date and place of is the first intensive voter list revision in Bihar since Commission highlighted that multiple factors such as rapid urbanisation, frequent migration, deaths not being reported, and increasing cases of fraudulent voter registrations have made it necessary to conduct this detailed verification to maintain the purity of electoral rolls.- EndsMust Watch
