The United Nations has urged countries around the Andaman Sea to stop sending thousands of migrants back to sea and instead take action to rescue these migrants who are adrift in wooden boats. Boats carrying over two thousand refugees suffering from hunger have recently reached the shores of Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, and reports indicate that thousands more are adrift in various boats at sea. The drift of these boats has occurred following actions by some governments to detain traffickers, causing captains and human traffickers to abandon these boats and their occupants at sea. Most of the refugees on these boats are from the Muslim minority in Myanmar known as the 'Rohingya' and also include Bangladeshi citizens. In Myanmar, Buddhists are in the majority, and the Rohingya minority faces significant pressure in that country. The main reason for the migration of Bangladeshis to the region is reported to be poverty. According to a report on Saturday, May 15, by Reuters, Jeffrey Savage, an official from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, called on regional countries to stop returning migrants to the sea, stating, 'We see no action from any of the regional governments to stop this trend, and we urge the international community to act on this matter because people are losing their lives.' Various images sent show that while some organizations are dropping food and medicine into the water around some of these boats using helicopters, there is significant conflict among the occupants over the division of remaining food. The International Organization for Migration has criticized these Southeast Asian governments for what it describes as 'playing maritime ping-pong' with refugees and endangering their lives. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry also urged Thailand on Friday to grant asylum to the Rohingya Muslim minority and not to return them to sea. Most of the Rohingya population of one million and one hundred thousand are deprived of citizenship rights in Myanmar and live under conditions similar to apartheid. More than 140,000 of them have been displaced to other areas following clashes with the Buddhist 'Rakhine' ethnic group in 2012. In this context, Malaysia returned a boat with hundreds of refugees. Human Rights Watch referred to the violence in Myanmar as 'ethnic cleansing.' The UN issued a resolution in support of the Muslims of Myanmar.
UN: Governments should grant asylum to thousands of stranded migrants in Malaysian waters
The UN has called on countries around the Andaman Sea to stop returning thousands of stranded migrants, primarily Rohingya and Bangladeshi refugees, back to sea. Many are suffering from hunger and are at risk of losing their lives due to the inaction of regional governments. This situation highlights the ongoing humanitarian crisis faced by the Rohingya and the need for international intervention.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
The UN has called on countries around the Andaman Sea to stop returning thousands of stranded migrants, primarily Rohingya and Bangladeshi refugees, back to sea. Many are suffering from hunger and are at risk of losing their lives due to the inaction of regional governments.
- Over two thousand refugees have reached the shores of Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
- The Rohingya are a persecuted Muslim minority in Myanmar, facing severe human rights violations.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The Rohingya are fleeing persecution in Myanmar, where they are denied citizenship and face violence, while many Bangladeshis are escaping poverty. This ongoing crisis has led to a significant refugee situation in Southeast Asia.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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