KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia must provide urgent assistance to a stranded boat carrying Rohingya refugees, including women and children, who are in dire straits in the Andaman Sea as they are running out of food and fresh water.
Although the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) denied the presence of any stranded ship in the country’s waters, a humanitarian group claimed that the said boat is in Malaysia’s search-and-rescue (SAR) region, which is more than 600km offshore.
“This is why we have called for regional cooperation between countries to coordinate SAR efforts,” Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network’s Rohingya Working Group chairman Lilianne Fan told The Vibes.
Since late last week, Fan has been among a host of human rights activists who have called on the government to launch immediate SAR efforts as some of between 160 and 180 refugees aboard the boat are allegedly dying.
A previous news report said it was last seen at 388km from Ranong, 352km from Port Blair, and 619km from Langkawi.
Fan said, however, family members have informed her group that over the last 24 hours the boat has reached a new location and has received some assistance, although it is unclear who provided aid to them.
“We cannot confirm who they received assistance from yet.
“There have been reports that another boat may be in Indian waters. We are trying to confirm information at present.”
On Monday, MMEA director-general Datuk Mohd Zubil Mat Som said the agency had not detected any vessels with Rohingya refugees in national waters, as purported by some quarters.
“There has been no information in relation to any stranded boat as reported by foreign news agencies,” he told Harian Metro.
“For now, there are no ships carrying Rohingya refugees in our territorial waters.”
The Guardian had reported that at least four such boats had departed from the Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh in late November, and were headed to Malaysia and Indonesia.
Refugees on one of the four boats, which was also stranded, had received assistance 458.7km south of the Myanmar coast last Wednesday.
However, the rescued refugees were turned over to the Myanmar navy, raising concerns over their subsequent treatment by the junta government.
Meanwhile, The Vibes has reached out to Wisma Putra for comment on the matter.
In a statement last week, Médecins Sans Frontières called on the Malaysian government to allow for the safe disembarkation of refugees suffering the effects of a regional humanitarian crisis and fleeing to seek safety.
“Upon disembarkation, the protection of refugees, as well as access to healthcare and other support services must be guaranteed.
“Safe disembarkation prevents the loss of lives of the Rohingya who are already afflicted by cumulative consequences of trauma, conflict, and discrimination due to the denial of citizenship in Myanmar for decades.
“In addition, Rohingya are subjected to violence targeting them in Myanmar and other countries of asylum,” said the statement.
It was previously documented that many Rohingya attempted the dangerous journey across the Andaman Sea, hoping to reach either Malaysia or Indonesia.
The number of such attempts increases each year as conditions in Myanmar and even in the refugee camps in Bangladesh continue to deteriorate. – The Vibes, December 14, 2022
