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Approximately 250 individuals are unaccounted for after their boat, ferrying Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals, sank in the Andaman Sea, according to a joint statement from the United Nations’ refugee and migration agencies issued Tuesday.
The agencies explained that the vessel, which was carrying men, women, and children, likely went under because of strong winds, turbulent waters, and overcrowding. The boat had set sail from Teknaf in southern Bangladesh and was headed for Malaysia.
“This tragedy underscores the heartbreaking human toll of long-lasting displacement and the ongoing lack of sustainable solutions for the Rohingya,” stated the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration.
For years, many members of Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslim minority have taken precarious wooden boats in hopes of reaching neighboring countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, or Thailand to escape persecution or escape overcrowded refugee camps in Bangladesh.
The UN agencies urged the global community to increase and sustain funding for emergency aid for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and to support the local Bangladeshi communities hosting them.
In 2017, Myanmar’s military launched a brutal crackdown that displaced at least 730,000 Rohingya, forcing them into Bangladesh, where they reported widespread killings, mass rape, and arson. A UN fact-finding mission described the military’s actions as “genocidal acts.” Myanmar, where the majority are Buddhist, denies committing genocide and claims the UN report lacks objectivity and reliability.
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