Southeast Asia, more than 3,500 Rohingya refugees in 2022 attempted deadly crossings in the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal

ROME – In 2022, more than 3,500 Rohingya refugees attempted deadly crossings on 39 boats in the Andaman Sea and in the Bay of Bengal: this is learned from the data collected and disseminated by theUNHCR, UN Refugee Agency. This is a 360 percent increase from a year earlier, when around 700 people took on similar trips. The Agency warns that, in the absence of a broader regional response to deal with these dangerous crossings at sea, the number of deaths is destined to increase, under the helpless gaze of coastal countries. UNHCR has recorded an alarming increase in the number of victims. In 2022, at least 348 people lost their lives or were missing at sea, making last year one of the years with the highest number of fatalities since 2014.

Many boats adrift for weeks on end. Appeals by UNHCR to the maritime authorities in the region to rescue and disembark people in distress were ignored, leaving many vessels adrift for weeks. Most of the boats departed from Myanmar and Bangladesh, a figure that highlights the growing desperation of Rohingya refugees in the two countries. The people who arrived tell of having undertaken these perilous journeys, in the hope of finding protection, safety, livelihoods and reunion with their family members. There are among them, victims of trafficking, separated or unaccompanied minors, and survivors of gender-based violence.

45% of refugees are women and children. In 2022, the approximately 3,040 people who made sea crossings landed mainly in Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia and Bangladesh. Of these, nearly 45 percent were women and children. In the last two months of 2022, four boats carrying over 450 Rohingya refugees arrived in Aceh, Indonesia. A boat with over 100 Rohingya refugees has arrived in Sri Lanka. It is also feared that, at the beginning of December, another boat with about 180 people on board sank. Many vessels that set sail in December were still at sea at the end of the year.

Solidarity is in crisis. The ongoing crisis in the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea is a crisis of solidarity. The eighth ministerial meeting will take place in February, under the Bali Process, a forum for political dialogue, information sharing and cooperation to address smuggling and trafficking in human beings and related international crimes. UNHCR reiterates its call to undertake rapid search and rescue operations, ensure timely disembarkation in a safe port, and support the countries of destination of Rohingya refugees. Countries are called upon to step up their efforts to prevent trafficking and trafficking in human beings. Humanitarian responsibilities need to be more evenly distributed among the countries of the region, to ensure that the response in terms of protection is more structured, equitable and sustainable. The region and the international community must support efforts to address the root causes of forced migration in Myanmar. Refugees will continue to make these perilous journeys in search of safety until a solution is found.