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Together warning on Thursday, the UN migration agency, IOMand the UN refugee agency, UNHCRsaid the two ships had sailed from Myanmar’s Rakhine state at the end of June.
Why this is important
- Hundreds of other Rohingya likely drowned
- Funding cuts leave refugees in Bangladesh with fewer options
- Myanmar’s conflict encourages dangerous sea travel
Contact was lost with one boat carrying around 250 people shortly after it departed. The second boat, carrying 280 people, is believed to have sunk off Myanmar’s Ayeyarwady coast on July 8.
The passengers were mostly ethnic Rohingya from Rakhine state who have faced decades of persecution by Myanmar authorities.
The boats used on such trips are often unsuited for sailing on the high seas and are crowded beyond capacity.
Some passengers were also traveling from the Cox’s Bazar refugee camp in neighboring Bangladesh, which is home to around one million Rohingya, who fled state violence against them in 2017.
High seas
UN agencies noted that the ships sailed outside the regular shipping season when conditions are more dangerous.
“This is part of a worrying trend that has been going on for some time now. Many people, hundreds of people have reported losing their lives in the same area, in the same ocean this year,” UNHCR spokesman Matthew Saltmarsh said.
Before this latest tragedy, nearly 300 people had been reported missing or drowned in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal so far this year, including Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals.
Recent heavy rains and flooding across the region are believed to have increased the risks associated with the dangerous sea crossing, UNHCR said.
The agency’s Saltmarsh also noted that the situation within Cox’s Bazar is increasingly difficult for those living there, due to serious funding cuts.
“These reports underscore the devastating impact of prolonged conflict and displacement, as well as the lack of sustainable solutions for the Rohingya community,” IOM-UNHCR said in a statement.
Impact of war
The agencies pointed to the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Myanmar where a civil war is ongoing, linked to a military coup in February 2021. “Limited aid and opportunities” in refugee camps in Bangladesh have also contributed to convincing more and more people to risk their lives on dangerous sea journeys, in search of safety and protection.
United Nations human rights office recently report highlighting how foreign parties continue to supply Myanmar’s military with weapons, spare parts, ammunition and munitions, as well as jet fuel and other dual-use goods.
That report warned that the reduction and suspension of foreign aid threatens local government-led civil protection efforts aimed at saving lives and ensuring a minimum level of access to essential services despite persistent military attacks on civilians.
Helping those who are most vulnerable
UNHCR and IOM support governments to coordinate search and rescue of vulnerable people for displacement, reception, protection and long-term solutions in the Asia-Pacific region.
This cooperation – through agreements including the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Human Trafficking and Related Transnational Crime – covers refugees, migrants and stateless people moving along major migration routes, including in South and Southeast Asia. “This route-based approach aims to save lives, protect communities and reduce harm, as well as support countries in managing mixed movements effectively,” the agencies stressed.
