More Rohingya Refugees Fleeing Bangladesh by Boat This Year
2023-12-06
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1The number of Rohingya taking risky boat trips to flee refugee camps in Bangladesh is rising even higher than last year.
2Human rights groups and aid agencies told VOA that those numbers could keep rising.
3The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR, said in a statement that a boat with 150 Rohingya on board landed in western Indonesia Saturday morning.
4Amnesty International's Indonesia office told VOA it had confirmed the landing as well.
5That brings the total number of Rohingya fleeing across the Andaman Sea by boat to 3,722 so far this year, says the UNHCR.
6In its statement, the refugee agency said it had also received several reports of two more boats with broken engines stranded in the Andaman Sea.
7Those boats hold 400 or more people.
8The agency issued an urgent search and rescue call to countries in the area.
9In 2022, the UNHCR counted 3,705 Rohingya who tried to flee. That was the most for any year since 2015.
10December is a time when the waters are somewhat calm.
11And it is the time when most Rohingya try to leave.
12UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch noted, "We can't predict what is going to happen in December, but if we look at last year, 2022, the last three months were the ... busiest."
13The Rohingya is a mostly Muslim minority from Buddhist-majority Myanmar.
14Nearly 1 million currently live in several large refugee camps in eastern Bangladesh.
15Most arrived in 2017, fleeing what the U.N. calls a campaign of "genocidal intent" by the Myanmar military.
16Now, some try to flee by boat to Malaysia or Indonesia, both Muslim-majority countries.
17Several hundred have died attempting to flee on old and overcrowded boats.
18Entire boats filled with refugees are believed to have been lost at sea.
19Chris Lewa is with the Arakan Project, a group that closely follows the issue.
20She told VOA, "I believe there will be a lot more people on the way, but to [give] a figure ... is impossible."
21Aid groups and the Rohingya blame worsening conditions in the camps in Bangladesh for the increase in attempts to flee.
22The refugees complain of rising gang violence, a lack of jobs and schools, and little food.
23The U.N. World Food Program is the main source of food aid for the refugees.
24In June, it reduced the amount of monthly food aid, for the second time, to $8 per person per month.
25The agency blamed lack of donor support for the cuts.
26Additionally, the Rohingya are losing hope that they will be able to return safely to Myanmar where they are mostly denied citizenship.
27Mohammed Rezuwan Khan is a Rohingya refugee.
28He said, "...All these things [are] driving the people to take the dangerous sea journeys."
29Khan said his sister and niece knew the risks but still fled by boat last year.
30They made it to Indonesia.
31In years past, the boats carried mostly single men and women.
32But the UNHCR says more families with children are now traveling together.
33This year nearly a third of those making the dangerous trip are children.
34UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch says Indonesia is the only country willing to take in the Rohingya.
35A 2016 presidential decision in Indonesia ordered officials to aid any boats at risk in the country's waters and to let them land.
36However, that may be starting to change.
37Last month, a boat that reached Aceh in Indonesia was reportedly pushed back out to sea twice.
38On the third try, it made it to land.
39A representative of Amnesty International blamed this on the national government's failure to assist local officials in their efforts to help the refugees.
40Should Indonesia stop helping, experts say more Rohingya will die when they cannot reach land at all.
41The UNHCR counted 348 dead or missing among those who set out in 2022 and 225 so far this year.
42Baloch said, "We saw last year the consequences of not having a safe port or a safe place to disembark.
43These people risk losing their lives."
44I'm Anna Matteo.
1The number of Rohingya taking risky boat trips to flee refugee camps in Bangladesh is rising even higher than last year. Human rights groups and aid agencies told VOA that those numbers could keep rising. 2The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR, said in a statement that a boat with 150 Rohingya on board landed in western Indonesia Saturday morning. Amnesty International's Indonesia office told VOA it had confirmed the landing as well. 3That brings the total number of Rohingya fleeing across the Andaman Sea by boat to 3,722 so far this year, says the UNHCR. 4In its statement, the refugee agency said it had also received several reports of two more boats with broken engines stranded in the Andaman Sea. Those boats hold 400 or more people. The agency issued an urgent search and rescue call to countries in the area. 5In 2022, the UNHCR counted 3,705 Rohingya who tried to flee. That was the most for any year since 2015. 6December is a time when the waters are somewhat calm. And it is the time when most Rohingya try to leave. UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch noted, "We can't predict what is going to happen in December, but if we look at last year, 2022, the last three months were the ... busiest." 7More to come 8The Rohingya is a mostly Muslim minority from Buddhist-majority Myanmar. Nearly 1 million currently live in several large refugee camps in eastern Bangladesh. 9Most arrived in 2017, fleeing what the U.N. calls a campaign of "genocidal intent" by the Myanmar military. 10Now, some try to flee by boat to Malaysia or Indonesia, both Muslim-majority countries. Several hundred have died attempting to flee on old and overcrowded boats. Entire boats filled with refugees are believed to have been lost at sea. 11Chris Lewa is with the Arakan Project, a group that closely follows the issue. She told VOA, "I believe there will be a lot more people on the way, but to [give] a figure ... is impossible." 12Reasons for the increase 13Aid groups and the Rohingya blame worsening conditions in the camps in Bangladesh for the increase in attempts to flee. The refugees complain of rising gang violence, a lack of jobs and schools, and little food. 14The U.N. World Food Program is the main source of food aid for the refugees. In June, it reduced the amount of monthly food aid, for the second time, to $8 per person per month. The agency blamed lack of donor support for the cuts. 15Additionally, the Rohingya are losing hope that they will be able to return safely to Myanmar where they are mostly denied citizenship. 16Mohammed Rezuwan Khan is a Rohingya refugee. He said, "...All these things [are] driving the people to take the dangerous sea journeys." Khan said his sister and niece knew the risks but still fled by boat last year. They made it to Indonesia. 17In years past, the boats carried mostly single men and women. But the UNHCR says more families with children are now traveling together. This year nearly a third of those making the dangerous trip are children. 18Losing their lives 19UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch says Indonesia is the only country willing to take in the Rohingya. A 2016 presidential decision in Indonesia ordered officials to aid any boats at risk in the country's waters and to let them land. 20However, that may be starting to change. Last month, a boat that reached Aceh in Indonesia was reportedly pushed back out to sea twice. On the third try, it made it to land. 21A representative of Amnesty International blamed this on the national government's failure to assist local officials in their efforts to help the refugees. 22Should Indonesia stop helping, experts say more Rohingya will die when they cannot reach land at all. The UNHCR counted 348 dead or missing among those who set out in 2022 and 225 so far this year. 23Baloch said, "We saw last year the consequences of not having a safe port or a safe place to disembark. These people risk losing their lives." 24I'm Anna Matteo. 25Zsombor Peter reported on this story in Bangkok, Thailand for VOA News. Anna Matteo adapted this story for VOA Learning English. 26______________________________________________________ 27Words in This Story 28stranded - v. left without the means to move from somewhere. 29urgent - adj. calling for immediate attention 30predict - v. to declare in advance : foretell on the basis of observation, experience, or reasoning 31genocidal - adj. the deliberate and systematic destruction of a racial, political, or cultural group 32intent - n. a usually clearly formulated or planned 33figure - n. a number symbol 34gang - n. a group of persons associated together to do something illegal 35donor - n. one that give money or other resources 36journey - n. an act or instance of traveling from one place to another 37consequence - n. something produced by a cause or necessarily following from a set of conditions 38disembark - v. to remove to shore from a ship 39We want to hear from you. Do you have a similar expressions in your language? Our comment policy is here.