Last year, the United Nations refugee agency reported the highest number of deaths or disappearances at sea among Rohingya people since 2014, with 569 casualties. Nearly 4,500 Rohingya embarked on perilous boat journeys across the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal in 2023, escaping crowded refugee camps in Bangladesh or persecution in Myanmar. The UNHCR revealed that approximately one Rohingya person died or went missing for every eight attempting the journey, making this maritime route one of the deadliest globally. The Rohingya, facing restricted lives in Myanmar and cramped conditions in Bangladeshi camps, seek refuge in Southeast Asia. Tragically, hundreds of Rohingya who landed on Indonesia’s Sumatra island in late 2023 were denied entry despite perilous conditions onboard, reflecting the dire situation faced by those at sea. The UNHCR called on governments to prevent such tragedies, emphasizing the humanitarian imperative and urging a comprehensive regional response to address these perilous boat journeys. Many Rohingya aspire to reach Malaysia, a majority-Muslim country that currently hosts a significant number of Rohingya refugees, yet challenges persist due to the lack of refugee protection in both Malaysia and Indonesia.
Quest : Emmanuel kelvin