Charities say 23 million suffered 'toughest' Ramadan
Charities warn of 'toughest' ever Ramadan for Muslim community around world
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By inthenews. |  |
Saturday, 19, Sep 2009 12:09
By Sarah Garrod.
Oxfam and Muslim Aid have revealed 23 million Muslims caught up in conflicts and disasters have been fasting in one of the hardest periods in recent years.
The two charities have said many people have had little more to eat than bread and water during the 30 days of the holy month Ramadan, and others have had nothing to eat at all after sunset.
On the eve of the end of Ramadan, six out of 18 of all under-funded UN Emergency appeals are in Muslim countries, with the number affected at least 23 million. The charities say this means one in two people suffering from some of the most chronic humanitarian crises are Muslim.
Oxfam and Muslim Aid say they have spoken to 13 different communities in Afghanistan, Gaza and Somalia who have all said that they have had far less food to eat during Ramadan.
Muslim Aid acting CEO, Hamid Azad said: "During Ramadan this year millions of people are going to sleep without food.
"In Iraq alone five million orphans and two million widows are living in desperate conditions. We are very concerned as to the amount and the effectiveness of the support they are receiving as the international community is not coming forward to help people with the much needed assistance they require."
The two international humanitarian and development agencies are calling on donor countries and individuals to assist and support the millions of people across the Muslim world who are in desperate need of assistance, from food aid and shelter to access to clean water and healthcare.
According to UN figures, Somalia, the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Afghanistan are just a few of the places in the Muslim world facing severe funding shortfalls.
Tareq Bakri, Oxfam's Middle East programme manager said: "It would be a tragedy if by this time next year the people of Gaza still can't import enough food or if the 150,000 civilians in Yemen trapped in conflict are still receiving almost no assistance from the outside world.
"It is of the utmost urgency that the international community act on the enormous needs of so many ordinary Muslim families around the world, many who've lost their homes and their livelihoods."