A tragic incident unfolded earlier this week in the Bay of Bengal, as at least 17 Rohingya refugees lost their lives when a boat capsized due to adverse weather conditions. An additional 30 individuals remain missing, according to aid workers in Myanmar. The vessel was en route to Malaysia, a sought-after destination for Rohingya people, who are predominantly Muslim, fleeing persecution and destitution in Myanmar and Bangladesh.
On Thursday, volunteers reported that eight survivors had been rescued from the ill-fated boat. However, the origin of the boat remains unclear. The boat’s tragic journey led to the discovery of dead bodies starting from August 7, as noted by Min Htal Wah, the chairperson of Shwe Yaung Metta Foundation, a rescue organisation located in the coastal Rakhine state of Myanmar. Wah disclosed that within three days, 17 bodies had been found, with some individuals still alive. Notably, 10 of the deceased were women.
A Rohingya aid worker in Maungdaw township near the Bangladesh border revealed that the boat had embarked in inclement weather conditions, while approximately 500 others still aspired to undertake the perilous journey to Malaysia.
The Rohingya community, many of whom fled a brutal military crackdown in Myanmar in 2017, grapple with overcrowded conditions in Bangladesh, where nearly one million Rohingya individuals currently reside. Tragic tales of perilous journeys at sea persist, with countless Rohingya refugees dying from diseases, hunger, and exhaustion while attempting to reach Malaysia and Indonesia in unseaworthy vessels.
In 2022, over 3,500 Rohingya people across 39 vessels attempted dangerous crossings of the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal, a significant increase from the previous year. Sadly, at least 348 Rohingya individuals were either lost at sea or went missing in 2021, prompting the United Nations refugee agency to emphasise the need for a regional response to halt further drownings.
International organisations have called for maritime authorities to provide assistance to vessels in distress. However, many boats remain adrift for extended periods, as highlighted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The dire living conditions of Rohingya people in Myanmar’s Rakhine state have been compared to “apartheid” by Amnesty International.
Myanmar currently faces accusations of genocide at the United Nations’ top court due to the mass exodus of Rohingya people. Although Bangladesh and Myanmar have engaged in discussions regarding the repatriation of Rohingya refugees, conditions in Myanmar are deemed unsafe for their return, as affirmed by a top United States rights envoy in Bangladesh in July.
The already challenging situation for Rohingya refugees has been exacerbated by funding cuts, leading to reduced rations in refugee camps, and the aftermath of a cyclone in Rakhine. International efforts to provide aid have been hampered by the military government’s obstruction in Myanmar.
Since the military coup in February 2021, which ended a brief period of democracy under Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian government, Myanmar has faced turmoil and instability.
