INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Activists have called for urgent assistance to rescue 160 Rohingya refugees, including young children, who they say are stranded at sea on a
damaged boat and have been without food or water for days.The boat, which activists say is near Malaysian waters, is believed to have left
on 25 November from Bangladesh, where almost 1 million Rohingya live in squalid and cramped refugee camps.Every year, when the rainy season
ends, many Rohingya attempt the treacherous journey across the Andaman Sea, hoping to reach predominately Muslim Malaysia or Indonesia
The number doing so this year has increased dramatically as a result of the deteriorating situation in the Bangladesh refugee camps and in
Myanmar, where the military seized power last year.Chris Lewa, the director of the Arakan Project rights group, which has interviewed the
families of those onboard, said the boat was leaking and that people did not have water or food
activist, said his older sister and her five-year-old daughter were among those onboard the boat, which also has a failing engine
Rights Network, who has consulted relatives of those onboard, said a family member last had contact with the boat at 4pm Kuala Lumpur time
government has not yet responded to a request for comment.At least four boats left Bangladesh between 25 and 27 November, according to Lewa
It was not possible for the Guardian to confirm this.The number of boats at sea has contributed to confusion over their status and which
regional government will lead rescue efforts
On Friday, a Vietnamese vessel reportedly rescued 154 Rohingya from a damaged boat in the Andaman Sea and handed them over to the Myanmar
It is feared those onboard will face imprisonment and persecution at the hands of the military, which is accused of genocide against the
perilous crossing across the Andaman sea
So far this year, 119 people have been reported dead or missing trying to do so, according to the UNHCR.It is feared that the worsening
situation in the Bangladesh camps and in Myanmar has driven more people to take the risk
that the prospect of repatriation is even more remote, she added.Rachel Chhoa-Howard, a south-east Asia researcher for Amnesty
They must attempt to locate any boats in distress and ensure the people onboard are allowed to disembark safely and receive proper medical
This article first appeared/also appeared in theguardian.com
