On 20 November, the Centre for Strategic Studies hosted a well-attended talk by Corinne Ambler, a New Zealander recently returned from working for the International Red Cross on the Myanmar-Bangladesh border. Ambler gave a powerful address, interspersed with photos and videos, painting a stark picture of the scale of the humanitarian crisis and the toll it was taking particularly among women, children and the elderly. She focused her remarks on the human side of the situation, explaining that most refugees found themselves with nothing when they crossed the border into Bangladesh. Most were exhausted and in immediate need of clean water, food and shelter. In a lively Q&A session, Ambler discussed the response from the Bangladesh authorities and the humanitarian community, and in particular the challenge of coordinating the international effort.

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