NGO offers food to Rohingya Muslims during Ramadan

New Delhi: An NGO is providing food items to Rohingya Muslim refugees who have been fasting during the holy month of Ramadan and who are living in dilapidated camps on the outskirts of the national capital.

Tayyab Trust, an institution which has been working for the rehabilitation of riot-hit victims, has distributed 12,000 food packets to the Rohingya refugees in the last one week.

"As Rohingya is a Muslim minority population, we have decided to help them by providing food items during the holy month of Ramadan. This way, we can bridge the gap that the government has created by ignoring them," Garv Nagar, a senior official of the Tayyab Foundation, told IANS.

He added that the food items consist of five kg of rice, pulses, date palms, tea bags, sugar and several spices required for cooking. Water tankers have also been provided to the refugees along with medical care.

Tayyab Trust will also organise a medical camp soon for the refugees who have been suffering from diseases caused by the unhygienic camp surroundings.

The 315 Rohingya Muslims - who have been staying in huts made of thatch, tarpaulin and plastic sheets - are among an estimated 10 million stateless people worldwide.

India, despite hosting some 30,000 registered refugees, has no legal recognition of asylum seekers, making it difficult for them to use essential services.

Although, minorities have lived for generations in Myanmar's western state of Rakhine, they had to flee the country after hostilities broke out between the Buddhists and the Rohingyas in 2012 leading to the deaths of more than 100 people. Over 100,000 Rohingyas have since fled to countries like Thailand, Malaysia, India and Bangladesh.

"In Mewat camp, where many Rohingya refugees have been staying, food packs to 430 families have been distributed. In addition, three medical camps have also been organised," Nagar told IANS.

He added that in Jammu and Kashmir too, the trust has provided 2,000 food packets to needy families in 22 camps.

The trust is also planning to build low cost temporary shelters and ensure water and sanitation for the Rohingya Muslims in India.