UN 'shocked' after 30 Rohingya refugees perish on boat

By Peter Kenny

GENEVA (AA) - The UN human rights office Friday expressed shock at the news that more than 30 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar died aboard a boat in the Bay of Bengal and that nearly 400 others needed immediate medical care after almost two months at sea.

Many of those on the vessel were women and children, Rupert Colville, spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, told journalists at UN press briefing via a video link.

“We are shocked by the news that more than 30 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar have died on board a boat in the Bay of Bengal, and that nearly 400 others were found dehydrated, malnourished and in need of immediate medical attention after nearly two months at sea,” said Colville.

He said that the UN Refugee Agency and UN partners in Bangladesh are currently providing shelter and assistance to the survivors who disembarked from the boat on Thursday morning.

“We are aware of reports that this boat had repeatedly sought a safe harbor, but the vessel was unable to land in Malaysia,” said the UN rights office spokesman.

“Whatever efforts are taken to combat people smuggling, this should be a time for compassion towards those in desperate need of assistance and protection.”

The UN human rights office said that due to reports of other vessels in similar circumstances still at sea, it strongly urged to carry out timely stepped-up search and rescue efforts.

It noted that dangerous interception practices, including pushing back boats trying to land, must be carefully avoided.

“The refugees’ horrific journey at sea is a sad reminder of events a few years ago when hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas fled persecution at the hands of the authorities in Rakhine state,” said Colville.

Many today are still living in overcrowded camps in Bangladesh as many Rohingya took dangerous journeys by boat from Myanmar and Bangladesh to other countries in the region after 2015-16.

“Sending an ill-equipped ship of refugees out to sea is unlawful and a death sentence,” said Matthew Smith, chief executive officer of Fortify Rights, a non-governmental organization that defends human rights.

“The Malaysian government should investigate who ordered this Rohingya ship back out to sea and urgently authorize search and rescue missions for any additional boats in distress. COVID-19 is no excuse to send refugees to death at sea,” he added.

In February, 15 Rohingya died in the Bay of Bengal when a boat carrying some 130 Rohingya capsized. They were also heading to Malaysia through the same risky sea route.

Around one million Rohingya live in refugee camps in southern Bangladesh, having fled a campaign of ethnic cleansing and terror in neighboring Myanmar in 2017.