20- December- 2022
Stranded Rohingya refugees must be immediately provided protection
We at the Rohingya Human Rights Initiative commend the Sri Lankan Navy for rescuing a boat of 105 Rohingya refugees adrift in the northern Sri Lankan sea on 18th December 2022. We applaud the navy's steadfast response, which saved many lives.
We would also like to express our continued gratitude to UNHCR, which is currently supporting the Sri Lankan authorities in meeting the primary needs of those rescued. We endorse UNHCR's appeal for 'all responsible States to rescue those in distress and adrift on the boats, allowing them to safely disembark in line with legal obligations and humanitarian traditions'.
We would also like to draw attention to our knowledge (per community sources) of five boats departing from Bangladesh. Two of them left in November and reached Indonesia. One of them was carrying 110 Rohingyas and arrived in Aceh, Indonesia, on 15th November 2022, where they are being provided with daily necessities.
In December, three boats left the Bangladeshi shore. As aforementioned, one of these was rescued by the Sri Lankan navy. Myanmar recaptured a second one carrying 154 people. Sources inform us that all the inhabitants have been jailed. The third boat, reportedly near the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, with 160 Rohingya refugees, is still missing.
For four decades, Rohingyas in Myanmar have faced severe and widespread repression and have been denied their basic rights including rights to nationality and freedom of movement. They are victims of crimes against humanity. The international community has an obligation to protect the rights of the Rohingya refuges by sharing responsibilities.
We hope the last boat is soon retrieved and brought to safety by the appropriate authorities. We also condemn the Myanmar government for arresting the 154 Rohingyas for trying to flee a genocide.
By
The Rohingya Human Rights Initiative New Delhi, India