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“We escaped a genocide from Myanmar before, now we are scared about what more suffering this pandemic will cause to us.” — Mohammed Tofail, Rohingya refugee living in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh

Dear John,

For Rohingya refugees living in threadbare camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, COVID-19 has brought a dire new threat to their already difficult lives.

Nearly one million Rohingya have fled their homes in Myanmar since 2017 to escape the military’s crimes against humanity. Cramped living conditions in the crowded camps make COVID-19 preventative measures like physical distancing next to impossible and the lack of safety measures and health information are fuelling mistrust and fear.

Rohingya refugees urgently need greater protection from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Canada has committed to being a leader in responding to this crisis, and can make a difference right now. 

Take Action: Call on Canada and the international community to protect the rights of Rohingya refugees and ensure they receive the assistance they need.

According to the latest numbers from the UNHCR, the number of identified COVID-19 cases amongst the Rohingya refugee population is 62. However, the frequency of tests is less than one percent of the refugee population — there may be many undetected cases already in the community.

In addition to fears of the virus itself, the pandemic has exacerbated the dire living conditions in the camps. Some Rohingya refugees, including women, have been victims of harassment and coercive quarantine measures – which have stigmatized people in the community with health conditions. This has created fear among the Rohingya about reporting any illness or symptoms.

An ongoing restriction on access to the internet and telecommunication for the Rohingya in the camps has limited their right to receive prompt and reliable information about COVID-19, and to communicate with family members living elsewhere. The pandemic has also limited the opportunity for Rohingya refugees, particularly women, to seek legal support for sexual and gender-based violence.

Half a million Rohingya children continue to be denied access to quality education in the refugee camps because a plan to introduce a new curriculum for Rohingya children was postponed indefinitely due to the pandemic.

Hundreds of Rohingya have turned to dangerous journeys by boat in attempt to find safe refuge. But again and again, governments in the region invoked COVID-19 as a reason for aggressively warding off the boats from their coasts and back into desolate open waters. In doing so, they are claiming that a life-threatening pandemic justifies leaving hundreds more to die.

Without continued support through international cooperation, assistance and sharing of responsibility for providing protection, the rights of the Rohingya refugees will almost certainly continue to be violated.

Please sign Amnesty's global petition urging Canada and four other key countries to ensure that the human rights of the Rohingya refugees are protected and that they receive the international assistance and cooperation they urgently need at this time.

Rohingya refugees have already survived so much – discrimination and persecution, fleeing their homes from violence, living in overcrowded, unsanitary camps without access to education or a livelihood. And now they face a global pandemic. Thank you for pressing Canada and the international community to act now. 

Yours sincerely,  

Hilary
 

Hilary Homes
Crisis & Tactical Campaigner
Amnesty International Canada 

p.s.  The COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. What the spread of this virus should teach us is that globally we are all connected. Thank you for adding your name to this global call for Canada and other key countries to take immediate action to protect the rights of Rohingya refugees.