More Rohingya And Banglades Set Sail To Southeast Asia

By Manik Mehta NEW YORK, Dec 11 (Bernama) -- The outflow of refugees from the Bay of Bengal tends to peak in October with this year alone 21,000 Rohingya and Bangladeshis setting sail to Southeast Asia, with Malaysia and Thailand being their favourite destination. The spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) William Spindler said during the latest press briefing this figure accounted for a 37 per cent surge over the same period last year. Out of this number, roughly 10 per cent were believed to be women while approximately a third of arrivals interviewed by UNHCR in Thailand and Malaysia were below 18 years of age. "The outflow from the Bay of Bengal tend to peak in October, when calmer waters follow the end of the rainy season", Spindler explained adding that "departures this October surged more than in previous years". An estimated 120,000 people have embarked on such voyages since early 2012, paying agents sums ranging from US$ 1,600 to US$ 2,400 per head (RM5,500-RM8,500). It is also possible that these refugees arrive at a Southeast Asian destination for temporary reprieve and move further to Australia or another developed country to earn the much-coveted refugee status. According to the UNHCR's calculations, based on the frequency and costs of the voyage, the clandestine sea trips may have generated nearly US$250 million (RM900 million) in revenue for the smugglers during the last three years alone when refugee numbers peaked. Spindler suggested that the rise in refugee figures were caused by the current situation in Myanmar where ethnic tensions and conflict could be forcing the Rohingya, an ethnic minority group, to leave the country. However, he also cautioned on the modus operandi employed by smugglers that puts the refugees in danger. The majority of people who made the crossings were initially charged very little by the smugglers who. However, upon arrival at their destination, the refugees will be held against their will until their families or relatives paid hefty sum for their release. In many cases, the migrants are held in dire conditions, and suffer beatings, torture and rape. However, their woes would still not be over even if they were released; they could typically still face potential detention in the country of their arrival, live in constant fear of how to make two ends meet, and even face deportation back to their country of origin. Spindler said that it was a situation of concern for the refugees. --BERNAMA