At a time when Rohingya Muslims have been rejected by their own land and people, a Sikh organisation, Khalsa Aid, has come to the aid of the persecuted minority.
On 9 September night, a volunteer group from Khalsa Aid reached the Bangladesh-Myanmar border to help lakhs of Rohingya Muslims who were escaping Myanmar, reported The Indian Express.
The condition at Teknaf, a Bangladesh border town, where many of the Rohingyas were camping, was “miserable to say the least,” Amarpreet Singh, managing director, Khalsa Aid, told the daily.
Camps Filled to the Brim
It was our first day here today (Sunday) and we did a pre-assessment before launching a major relief operation. We had come prepared for providing relief to some 50,000 people, but there are more than three lakh refugees here. They are living without water, food, clothes and shelter.Amarpreet Singh, managing director, Khalsa Aid, to The Indian Express
Singh also said, in an interview with the newspaper, “They are sitting wherever they can find a corner. It is raining, but people do not have anywhere to go. It is miserable to say the least. We will be providing them langar (community kitchen) food and shelter. We are arranging tarpaulins but since the number of refugees have overwhelmingly exceeded our preparations, it will take some time to make arrangements.”
Each of the huge camps at Teknaf were reportedly overcrowded.
A camp can accommodate at least 50,000 people but in most of them there are more than one lakh refugees. But we are committed to run a langar here till the crisis is over. The priority is to not let anyone sleep without food.Amarpreet Singh, managing director, Khalsa Aid to The Indian Express
"Children are roaming without clothes and begging for food. Those who do not get space in camps are sitting along roads in hope of getting food from someone,” he added.
Number of Refugees Exceed Estimated Figures
For the Khalsa Aid volunteers at Teknaf, the challenges are many.
Teknaf is almost a 10-hour ride from the capital Dhaka from where we are ferrying all the material needed to prepare langar. Connectivity issues and rain are creating hindrances but we are trying our best to provide food to the maximum people at the earliest. The langar will continue here as long as the crisis is on and refugees continue to reach the border.Amarpreet Singh, managing director, Khalsa Aid to The Indian Express
Singh also said that another group of volunteers is expected to reach Teknaf in the next few days, to help with the relief operations.
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