Deadly journeys through Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea threaten the lives of thousands of Rohingyas refugees.

The UNHCR has reported that the year of 2020 was the deadliest one when it comes to the deaths of Rohingya refugees due to the perilous journey through the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. The UN agency concluded that two-thirds of those that attempt to cross these dangerous areas are women and children who also need to deal with the risk of violence and exploitation posed by smugglers. Since a decade ago, Rohingya people have been making this journey from the Rakhine State in Myanmar by sea to settle in refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, once that Myanmar’s government has stripped away their citizenship, and consequently, their basic rights. The UNHCR has proved that of the 2,413 people known to have travelled in 2020, 218 died or went missing at sea. The UN agency’s report has also shown that refugees may stay in the sea for months, suffering from different sorts of illnesses caused by insufficient food and water in addition to the harsh conditions at the sea, including boiling temperatures and treacherous waves and storms. For these reasons, UNHCR has urged all States in the region to search for refugees in distress at sea and rescue them to places of safety instead of preventing their disembarkation. It includes providing prompt and effective assistance for these people to access asylum procedures, and provide protection and social assistance, such as food and shelter to those that disembark. For further information, please visit: https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/08/1098122 

Source: China Daily - https://www.chinadailyhk.com/article/138119