Unregistered Arakanese Rohingya refugees living in Leda camp (supported by EU) operated by the Islamic Relief Worldwide (IR) have been facing acute scarcity of water for a week, said a refugee committee member from Leda camp.

According to the IR project, the organization is to supply water to the camp. But, it could not supply the water because of shortage near the camp. The IR has a project, which controls the water near the camp from a stream where water accumulates in the rainy season and the camp people use it.  In the cold season now the stream is completely dry. Refuges wonder what will happen in summer.
The camp has over 13,000 refugees, but only four water supply stations are located in the camp, where the refugees queue up for water. Most times, the refugees do not receive water from the supply station, according to a refugee.

The refugees, including women and girls, have to go to a stream to fetch water daily, but there is no security for women members because it is far from the camp near the forest, said a refugee elder.

Every day, the refugees go to fetch water, which is risky for them as the local people beat up refugee girls and snatch water pots, the elder said.

Yesterday, five water pots were snatched from refugee girls by local people after they were assaulted when they went to fetch water, said another refugee.

“We need water for our daily use and we have to go to the stream to fetch it which is a very dangerous place. We could be raped by local people as has happened before,” said a refugee woman.