The newest numbers from UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, show that at least 348 Rohingya people died or went missing at sea in 2022, making it one of the deadliest years since 2014.
In addition, the UN agency reported that in 2022, over 3,500 desperate Rohingya attempted lethal sea crossings in 39 boats in the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal.
Speaking at a news conference at the Palais des Nations in Geneva on Tuesday, UNHCR spokesman Shabia Mantoo stated that this is a 360% rise from the previous year, when 700 people undertook similar travels.
UNHCR fears that more people will perish on the high seas while being watched over by numerous coastal States if there isn’t a cohesive regional response to address these dangerous maritime movements.
The number of deaths has increased alarmingly, according to UNHCR.
In 2022, 3,040 people who had traveled by sea disembarked, mainly in Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Bangladesh. According to the UN Refugee Agency, women and children made up about 45% of those who disembarked.
Four boats carrying more than 450 Rohingya disembarked in Aceh, Indonesia, in the final two months of 2022.
In Sri Lanka, one boat with more than 100 Rohingya disembarked.
Early in December, it’s believed that one boat with about 180 people on board sank.
At the end of the year, a number of boats that left in December were still at sea.
Many boats have been at sea for weeks as a result of the maritime authorities in the area not responding to calls from UNHCR to rescue and unload persons in need.
The fact that the majority of boats left from Bangladesh and Myanmar highlights the Rohingya population’s growing sense of desperation in those two nations.
Those who disembarked claim they undertook these perilous sea voyages in an effort to achieve safety, security, family reunion, and a means of subsistence in other nations.
They include survivors of sexual and gender-based abuse, unaccompanied and separated children, and trafficking victims.
According to UNHCR, the current crisis in the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea is a crisis of solidarity.
The 8th Ministerial Conference of the Bali Process, a platform for policy discussion, information exchange, and collaboration to combat people smuggling, human trafficking, and associated transnational crime, will take place in February.
The UNHCR reiterates its request for quick search and rescue, speedy disembarkation in a secure location, and assistance for the nations receiving Rohingya refugees after they disembark.
At a press conference held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, UNHCR spokesman Shabia Mantoo stated, “We call on governments to redouble efforts to prevent people smuggling and trafficking.”
To guarantee that protection actions are predictable, equitable, and long-lasting, it is also necessary for countries in the region to share humanitarian duty more fairly.
Efforts to address the underlying causes of Myanmar’s displacement must receive support from the region and the international community. Refugees will continue to risk their lives traveling long distances in search of safety until these issues are remedied.
