More than 500 feared dead after reports of two shipwrecks off Myanmar, UN says | Rohingya
More than 500 people are feared dead after reports of two major shipwrecks off the coast of Myanmar since late June, the United Nations said.
The UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) and its affiliated refugee organization, UNHCR, made a joint statement and raised the alarm over the news that “two boats carrying more than 500 people may have capsized off the coast of Myanmar in recent days.”
The statement said that preliminary information indicates that the two ships in question set out in late June from Myanmar’s war-torn Rakhine state, which is populated mostly by people from the country’s predominantly Muslim Rohingya minority.
Some reportedly traveled from major camps in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar, where more than a million Rohingya refugees live in squalid conditions.
According to UNHCR, nearly 900 Rohingya refugees were reported missing or dead at sea in the northern Indian Ocean last year alone; among more than 6,500 people who have attempted such dangerous sea crossings.
Rohingya embark on dangerous sea journeys every year in search of better living conditions, often traveling on flimsy boats operated by smuggling networks.
In the statement, it was stated that a boat thought to be carrying approximately 250 people lost contact shortly after setting off.
Meanwhile, a second boat carrying approximately 280 people is believed to have sunk off Myanmar’s Ayeyarwady coast on July 8.
“Although the incidents and death toll have not yet been officially confirmed, UNHCR and IOM are seriously concerned about the potentially devastating loss of life,” the statement said.
The UN agencies emphasized that the voyages “occurred outside the normal sailing season, when sea conditions are often more hazardous.”
“Recent heavy rain and flooding in the region have further increased the risks associated with such marine movements.”
The statement warned that “if confirmed, this tragedy would add to the nearly 300 people reported missing or lost their lives in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal this year, including Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals.”
Thursday’s statement emphasized that the latest reported tragedies “underscore the devastating impact of protracted conflict and displacement, as well as the ongoing lack of sustainable solutions for Rohingya communities.”
“Increasing conflict and a worsening humanitarian situation in Myanmar, together with limited aid and opportunities in refugee camps in Bangladesh, are contributing to the increasing number of people attempting dangerous sea journeys in search of safety and protection,” they noted.
“The reported incidents also highlight the persistent risks posed by smuggling and human trafficking networks that continue to exploit the desperation of people seeking safety,” they added.
IOM and UNHCR called for “increased search and rescue efforts, access to shelter and protection, and actions against smuggling and human trafficking networks.”
The organizations praised Bangladesh for its “extraordinary generosity in hosting Rohingya refugees over many years” but emphasized the need for “continued international support” for refugees and host communities, as well as “further efforts to address the underlying causes of forced displacement”.
