MAY 15 — Malaysia and Indonesia have recently rescued about 2,000 hungry and weak Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar and impoverished Bangladeshi migrants adrift in boats that have been abandoned by smugglers. It is afraid that more migrants have been stranded while many are still getting ready to board smuggling boats. A Bangladeshi joint navy and coast guard patrol boat has just detained a Malaysia-bound fishing trawler with more than a hundred migrants on board, in the Bay of Bengal on Tuesday.
Many can still remember the tragic experience when Vietnamese refugees fled the country from the 1970s to 1990s. With no other options, they took the risk and braved death at sea to seek for a better life. Similarly, the boat people from Bangladesh and Myanmar this time risk their lives to sneak into Malaysia for better job opportunities. Unexpectedly, they became prey to human trafficking syndicates and are forced to adrift at sea.
Some of the migrants are Rohingya Muslims, an excluded minority group in Myanmar, who have no identity card and given no opportunity to attend school or work. About 1.3 million of them mainly lived in Rakhine State, Myanmar. Some have fled to Bangladesh after a long time of oppression, while a very small number of them were given the refugee status. Rohingyas have been described by the UN as one of the “most persecuted” ethnic minorities in the world.
Since the outbreak of ethnic conflicts in Rakhine State in 2012, more than 120,000 Rohingyas have fled to Myanmar or Bangladesh and hundred of migrants died at sea each year. Most of them first reached Thailand on boats prepared by human trafficking syndicates before sneaking into Malaysia, Indonesia or Australia.
They paid smugglers high amount of money but got themselves trapped in a plight of exploitation. Many have died at sea. As for those who survived, it does not mean a better life either even if they found a job. As illegal immigrants, they have continuously been exploited, while trying to elude crackdown.
The discovery of mass migrant graves in “slave camps” has prompted Thailand to crack down on human trafficking. Following the move, human traffickers abandoned thousands of migrants in boats, causing them to adrift at sea. Also, migrants started to land in Langkawi.
Langkawi consists of many small islands and atolls, which have formed a natural barrier. Our law enforcement authorities must step up border and sea patrols, while providing them appropriate assistance. However, human trafficking is a problem that can be solved only through cross-border cooperation.
Improper handling of the issue could lead to a massive international disaster and humanitarian crisis. Myanmar cannot stay out of it and expect Malaysia and other Asean countries like Indonesia and Thailand to continue taking in Rohingyas. Myanmar pointed its finger at Bangladesh, calling it the source of the problem. But it cannot shed the responsibility after oppressing the Rohingyas for a long period of time, causing them to flee. As Asean’s rotating chairman, Malaysia should play a role in mediation, and it is essential to get cooperation and assistance from other Asean members. Thailand has announced a special regional convention on illegal immigration and 15 involving countries are expected to attend the meeting. Hopefully, the fate of the migrants can be changed through different channels and measures under the cross-border cooperation. — Sin Chew Daily
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail Online.
