More than 5,100 Rohingya boarded boats to leave Myanmar and Bangladesh between January and early November of this year, and nearly 600 of them have been reported dead or missing, according to data from the United Nations Refugee Agency.
The frequent arrival of Rohingya on boats operated by people smugglers has been a source of frustration for the Southeast Asian bloc ASEAN, with Malaysia and Indonesia in particular criticising Myanmar for the way it treats the minority.
Malaysia, which does not recognise refugee status, has in recent years begun to turn away boats and detain Rohingya as part of a crackdown on undocumented migrants.
Rights group Amnesty International on Monday called on ASEAN to address the issue of Rohingya boats at sea.
“The unconscionable practice of pushing boats away from borders must end, and regional governments must ensure that any boats carrying refugees and migrants are allowed to land safely in the nearest country,” Amnesty said.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/thailand-malaysia-search-rescue-rohingya-boat-sinks-5459451
