The United Nations fears that more than 500 people have died after two boats carrying refugees capsized off the coast of Myanmar, the UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UNHCR said in a joint statement on Thursday.
Initial reports indicate that the refugees, who made the perilous journey by sea from war-torn Myanmar, included the country’s persecuted Rohingya population as well as residents of refugee camps in Bangladesh.
The UN agencies said that the two boats set off from Myanmar’s Rakhine state in late June. The first boat, carrying about 250 people, went missing shortly after setting off. On the other hand, the second boat, carrying about 280 people, is believed to have sunk on July 8 off the coast of Myanmar’s Irrawaddy.
The two boats set off for Malaysia, Indonesia or Thailand during the adverse season, when the sea is usually very rough and dangerous. However, although the number of damages and fatalities could not be officially confirmed, the United Nations has expressed deep concern over such a terrible disaster and loss of life.
It is worth noting that in 2017, about 750,000 Rohingya fled Rakhine State to Bangladesh to save their lives in the face of the Myanmar army’s brutal campaign. The current situation has become even more deplorable due to the Myanmar government’s refusal to grant citizenship to the Rohingya and the ongoing civil war between the junta army and the Arakan Army in Rakhine after the military coup in 2021. As a result, thousands of Rohingya and some Bangladeshi citizens are forced to risk their lives by sea every year.
According to the United Nations, about 900 refugees went missing or died in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal last year, making this region one of the most dangerous sea routes in the world.
Source: Reuters
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