Medicine

Rohingya refugees resort to southern sea routes

April 03, 2018 12:53·
Boat carrying Rohingya refugee stops on Thai island

Boat carrying Rohingya refugee stops on Thai island

A boat carrying dozens of Rohingya from Myanmar has arrived in Malaysia and the members of the stateless Muslim minority will be allowed to enter the country, authorities said.

Chris Lewa of the Arakan Project, an independent research and advocacy group, said Sunday's stopover of a fishing boat with 56 people at an island in Thailand's Krabi province is probably not a harbinger of more soon to come, because the weather will soon turn too rough for such crossings.

Myanmar authorities say the operation in Rakhine state is aimed at rooting out extremists, but the Security Council is demanding that the Rohingya be allowed to safely return home.

The 2015 crisis began when Thailand discovered mass graves in a human-trafficking camp along its southern border and launched a crackdown on the brutal networks that ferry migrants to Malaysia.

Tight security by Myanmar officials also makes departures hard, though it would not be surprising if a handful of more boats were seen in the near future, she said.

"They will be handed over to the Immigration Department", he told Reuters in a text message. The families, mainly Buddhist but with some Christians, were being "lured by Myanmar" to Rakhine where they were given free land, citizenship and free food for five years, Muing Swi Thwee said.

Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency chief Zulkifili Abu Bakar said the refugees comprised 19 women, 17 men, 12 boys and eight girls.

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The boat reportedly departed the coast of central Rakhine state in Myanmar last week.

"If they are found to be in distress, we hope they will be rescued and allowed to disembark in accordance with global maritime law", she said in an email.

The refugee agency is in contact with Malaysian maritime authorities and "stands ready to support authorities in providing any necessary assistance to refugees upon disembarkation", agency staff said. "They are going there to fill up the land vacated by the Rohingya who have left Burma (Myanmar)".

"If they are found to be involved, they would need to be expelled only".

Bangladeshi economic migrants have also taken the boat routes south.

Britain, Kuwait and Peru are organising the council's visit, which would include a tour of Rohingya refugee camps in Cox's Bazar. "But in light of the news, we are investigating the matter".

Rohingya previously tried to resettle in Thailand as well, but the country has not ratified the 1951 Refugee Convention and does not recognise the status of refugees, leaving them vulnerable to threats, especially human trafficking.

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