By The Stateless Rohingya

Humanitarian aid distributed by International Organisation for Migration (IMO) to flood-effected Rohingya refugees at Leda makeshift camp were reportedly looted by a local gang on Thursday, July 6, 2017.

IMO staffs brought the aid for more than 1,750 Rohingya refugees in the camp, however, the distribution truck was unable to enter the camp due to the route cut-off as the result of continuous heavy rain for the past few days.

The staffs, then distributed the aid from a reachable distance outside the camp.

As non-food items were distributed, a local gang from nearby villages rushed towards the Rohingya refugees and looted them at 11:00 am Dhaka time.

“The gang did not just loot our aid, and they also robbed our ornaments that we wore at the same time in the broad daylight,” said a refugee woman.

When asked about the humanitarian aid, IMO staffs who volunteered in the distribution, said that they have a plan to handover the aid to 1972 Rohingya families residing in six blocks of Leda camp over three days. The staffs managed to take only 750 packets for Block A and B on Thursday. They only distributed 50 packets to Rohingya refugees, most of them were unable to bring the aid packets to the camp.

The packets contain 2 pieces of blankets and towels, a pair of clothes for mother and child, a longi (lower garment for man), a mosquito net, a water pot, two dishes, two mugs, two plates, six bars of soap, a packet of candles, a match box and a packet of saline.

Since Wednesday, the monsoon rain has been pouring heavily in the district of Cox’s Bazar where more than 250,000 Rohingya refugee live, flooding Balukhali, Leda, Kutupalong and Nayapara refugee camps. Cyclone Mora also completely tore down more than half of flimsy sheds in the camps on May 31, 2017.