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Refugees/Migrants - South-East Asia

Introduction

In 2015, mixed maritime movements in South-East Asia were characterized by two distinct phases: from January to May, when the volume crossing the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea was significantly greater than during the same period in previous years; and from June to December, when such movements all but disappeared following the abandonment of thousands of refugees and migrants at sea in May. Some 1,600 refugees and migrants were estimated to have departed by sea from the Bay of Bengal in the second half of 2015, 96% less than in the second half of 2014. By contrast, the 31,000 departures estimated in the first half of 2015 were 34% higher than in the first half of 2014. (UNHCR, 23 Feb 2016)

The root causes of refugee flows continue to persist around the Bay of Bengal. Late August 2017 saw mass displacement after attacks on border guard posts in Myanmar's northern Rakhine State triggered a military response. More than 700,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh, putting a strain on aid resources. This is the largest mass refugee movement in the region in decades. The speed and scale of the influx has resulted in a critical humanitarian emergency. Most are now reliant on humanitarian assistance for food and other life-saving needs. (ISCG, 12 Nov 2018)

From January 2020 to June 2021, 3,046 Rohingya attempted to cross the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal. (UNHCR, 19 Aug 2021) 2020 was the deadliest year in the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea since UNHCR began monitoring deaths at sea in the region, with more than 200 people dying or going missing. This death rate amounts to 8% of those taking the sea journey. In contrast, in 2019, less than 1% of persons attempting the journey died at sea, and between 2013 and 2015, an average of 1.2% of persons attempting the journey died. Many more deaths may have gone unreported. As of June 2021, at least 9 people have already died or gone missing at sea in 2021. (UNHCR, 19 Aug 2021)

In Rakhine, an estimated 600,000 Rohingya people (including almost 130,000 Rohingya IDPs in central Rakhine and some 470,000 non-displaced stateless Rohingya people) mostly remain without identity documents and are subject to heavy restrictions on movement, limiting their access to livelihoods, and essential services. In Rakhine and southern Chin, new displacement as a result of the reignited AA-MAF conflict has further complicated the context and is driving escalating needs. As of 5 December 2022, AA-MAF clashes had resulted in the new displacement of 23,350 people since August 2022, taking the total number of IDPs from past and present AA-MAF conflict to 97,000. As of 26 December 2022, more than 49,800 had been displaced to neighboring India since February 2021. (OCHA, 25 Jan 2023)

The resumption or intensification of armed conflict resulted in new displacement of around 1,175,300 people since 1 February 2021, bringing the total number of displaced people across Myanmar to approximately 1,504,800 by the end of 2022. The number of IDPs in Myanmar continued to grow in 2023. By late May 2023, there were over 1.8 million IDPs in Myanmar, an increase of some 331,600 compared to end-2022. In 2022, neighbouring countries reported refugee arrivals from Myanmar. Cumulatively, an estimated 36,700 people from Myanmar fled to India (30,200) and Thailand (6,500) in 2022. In India, approximately 30,200 arrived, mostly in the north-east of India, based on estimates made available from community-based organizations, media and UNHCR internal triangulation of data — not on a specific data source from the Government of India. (UNHCR, 4 Jul 2023)

At least five fires were reported in the Bangladesh camps since January 2023 - several deliberately lit - with one leading to the destruction of 2,664 shelters and displacing 5,274 people. Additionally, increased violence by armed groups and a lack of livelihood and education opportunities has led to large numbers of Rohingya taking to risky journeys by boat, with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reporting a 360% increase in the number of Rohingya who attempted journeys by sea in 2022 when compared to 2021. Overland routes have resulted in the arrest of hundreds of Rohingya in Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia. (APRRN, 5 May 2023)

Over the past twelve months, turf wars among rival armed groups have bedevilled the sprawling refugee camps located in Bangladesh’s southern Cox’s Bazar district. Fighting between the once-dominant Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) and groups such as the Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO) has left scores of refugees dead, while the number of abductions – in which armed groups or criminal gangs hold refugees for ransom – has increased nearly fourfold in 2023. While violence earlier occurred only at night, militants wielding knives and locally made guns now roam the camps during the day, threatening residents and killing rivals. (ICG, 6 Dec 2023)

UNHCR is alarmed by statistics revealing a surge in the number of desperate Rohingya refugees reportedly dying or going missing while taking risky boat journeys in the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal during 2023. Some 569 Rohingya were reported to have perished or gone missing in 2023 in South-East Asian waters, with nearly 4,500 embarking on deadly sea journeys – a significant increase on previous years. The number reported missing or dead is the highest since 2014, when the total reached 730. The findings for 2023 include some shocking details. The total reported dead or missing was over 200 more than in 2022. Survivors have shared horrifying accounts of abuse and exploitation during the journey, including gender-based violence. Estimates show one Rohingya was reported to have died or gone missing for every eight people attempting the journey in 2023. This makes the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal one of the deadliest stretches of water in the world. (UNHCR, 23 Jan 2024)

As of 31 December 2023, the total Rohingya refugee population in Cox's Bazar was estimated to be 971,904 people. (UNHCR, Govt. Bangaldesh, 11 Jan 2024)

Bangladesh

Myanmar

South-East Asia

Beyond Bay of Bengal

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