难民面对双冠状病毒紧急情况

The novel coronavirus will disproportionately impact the world’s 70 million displaced people as it spreads, while states exacerbate the risk by turning their attention towards their citizens.

So saysa report by advocacy organisation Refugees International，这强调了难民，寻求庇护者和内部流离失所的方式必须包括在国家对Covid-19的国家反应中。

These populations, which may already lack access to healthcare, clean water and reliable information, often live in cramped refugee camps and informal settlements where the virus could spread rapidly, it says.

“冲突并没有因此而结束；因此，基本的服务和食品分配以及医疗保健无法因此而停止。So we should figure out ways to make sure we’re not suspending services.”

Devon Cone, senior advocate for women and girls, Refugees International

根据孟加拉国难民营，成千上万的罗兴亚难民可以在一年内赶上Covid-19。researchers at Johns Hopkins University。

Nearly 900,000 Rohingya refugees live in Cox’s Bazar, close to more than 400,000 Bangladeshis. As of 7 April, Bangladesh has recorded 17 coronavirus disease deaths, according to官方数字。

难民国际难民妇女和女孩高级倡导者德文郡（Devon Cone）告诉SciDev.Netthere is no easy solution to the global problem given the vast differences in national circumstances, border closures and government-imposed restrictions. She says displaced people must be included in prevention and mitigation efforts for the sake of everyone’s health.

“I think being inclusive is the main point,” says Cone. “Yes, there need to be restrictions, but restrictions shouldn’t be more burdensome on refugees and asylum seekers than anyone else.”

The report suggests a series of recommendations for humanitarian response, including stopping deportation of asylum seekers, prioritising hygiene and decongestion in camps, and enhancing communication.

期望更多的迁移

Millions of people who have fled Venezuela since 2015 are already struggling to access healthcare in neighbouring Colombia, Brazil, Peru and Ecuador. More Venezuelans, faced with a collapsed health system and a lack of basic amenities, such as water for hand-washing, are likely to try to flee as the situation deteriorates, according to the Refugees International report.

Once borders are closed, people may resort to dangerous unofficial routes.

Cone说：“尽管许多委内瑞拉人都拥有权利……甚至在病毒之前，他们常常无法获得这些权利。”她补充说，边界锁定风险在试图迁移时会聚集大量的人。

In Bangladesh’s cramped refugee camps, a major concern is that food supply lines could be cut off, according to Mabrur Ahmed, co-director and co-founder of UK-based humanitarian organisation Restless Beings.

He says that an absence of information on the science behind decisions spreads anxiety among already vulnerable groups, a concern echoed by Refugees International, which highlights therestrictions on phone and internet access孟加拉国政府于9月实施 - 引起谣言和虚假信息传播。

While Ahmed believes there is no “ready-made answer” for such complex situations around the world, he agrees that inclusivity should be the main goal. And he thinks that as travel and access for international organisations are hampered, there is actually an opportunity for aid to forge closer links with local actors.

Inclusion essential

Others agree that inclusion is key. “For refugees and major host countries… there is a real threat that COVID-19 becomes an emergency on top of an emergency,” says Matthew Saltmarsh, senior external relations officer at UNHCR in the UK. “To effectively combat any public health emergency, everyone should be able to access health facilities and services in a non-discriminatory manner.”

Aurélie Ponthieu, an advisor on forced migration at Médecins Sans Frontières, adds: “It is clear that there will be no winning against this outbreak without inclusion of all populations in the response. Any form of discriminatory treatment of refugees and migrants or other vulnerable groups will be counterproductive and dangerous.”

尽管Cone同意，持续的人道主义援助的需求与进一步传播冠状病毒的风险并不容易平衡，但找到这样做是至关重要的。

“冲突并没有因此而结束；基本的服务和食品分配以及医疗保健无法因此而停止。”她说。“因此，我们应该找出确保我们不会暂停服务的方法。”