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What happened, where and when?
On 18 December 2022, Sri Lanka's Navy conducted a rescue operation, saving 105 migrants found adrift off the eastern coast of Sri Lanka. The boat was initially spotted 3.5 nautical miles (6.5km) from the shore by the Sri Lanka Navy. It was reported that the distressed craft had entered the island’s territorial waters on 17 December, following a mechanical failure while transporting these people from Bangladesh to Indonesia. Promptly responding to the distress call received at the Operations Room of the Northern Naval Command on 17 December, the Navy rushed SLNS Fast Attack Craft and Flotilla, which are attached to the Northern Naval Command, to the reported area for the rescue of the 105 distressed people.
According to United Nations expert reports on 22 December 2022 [1], there were four vessels carrying migrants [2], all originating from Bangladesh. One vessel with 160 migrants was detected near the Andaman Islands, another carrying 154 migrants was rescued by a Vietnamese oil service vessel on 8 December and handed over to the Myanmar navy, and a third vessel carrying 100 migrants was at sea close to Aceh, Indonesia. The remaining vessel, with 105 Rohingya migrants, was rescued by the Sri Lankan Navy. These 105 Rohingya migrants, including the person who drove the craft, were taken to the Kankasanthurai harbor, where they received support with basic necessities and emergency medical attention.
Among the 105 migrants from Rakhine, Myanmar, there were 49 children (21 girls, 28 boys) and 56 adults (26 females, 30 males). Within this group, 21 unaccompanied children (8 boys, 13 girls) and one elderly person (68 years old) were identified among the arrivals, while no person with a disability (PWD) was found. Due to deteriorating health, three of the arrivals (two children and one woman) required admission to the hospital.
After the legal proceedings, all 104 migrants (excluding the person who drove the craft) were transferred to immigration detention centers. Among them, 22 children, including unaccompanied children, were housed at the detention center in Welisara, situated in the Gampaha district approximately 12 km from Colombo City. The rest of the migrants were accommodated at the Mirihana detention center in the Colombo district, about 7 km from the Colombo city center. The individual who drove the craft was detained in the Jaffna prison until the end of May 2023, after which he was transferred to the detention center in Welisara. Tragically, one migrant (an elderly man) passed away in April 2023 due to a critical health condition.
Subsequently, the UNHCR and the Government identified suitable houses, and an agreement was reached between the house owners and the UNHCR implementing partner, Muslim Aid. A one-year rental agreement was arranged, with the rent paid in advance each month. Currently, all Rohingya migrants have been relocated to rental houses within the Colombo district. However, the language barrier remains a significant challenge when communicating with these Rohingya migrants and comprehending their situation.
Note:
a) Displaced people: The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement uses the expression ‘displaced people from Rakhine, Myanmar’ in place of "Rohingya" in all external communications, as an element in maintaining safety and operational access to provide vital humanitarian assistance to those in need wherever they are.
b) Migrants: The Movement uses a deliberately broad description in order to capture the full extent of humanitarian concerns related to migration. “A migrant is a person who leaves or flees their habitual residence to go to new places – usually abroad – to seek opportunities or safer and better prospects. Migration can be voluntary or involuntary, but most of the time a combination of choices and constraints are involved.” Thus, this includes migrant workers, stateless migrants, and migrants deemed irregular by public authorities, among others. It also concerns refugees and asylum seekers, notwithstanding the fact that they constitute a special category under international law.
c) Refugees: Any person who owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his/her nationality and is unable, or owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself/herself of the protection of that country.
Links:
[1]https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2022/12/coordinated-regional-action-urged-stop-rohingya-deaths-sea-un-expert
[2]IFRC’s description of ‘migrants’ is deliberately broad in order to capture the full extent of humanitarian concerns related to migration IFRC- Policy on Migration, “Migrants are persons who leave or flee their habitual residence to go to new places – usually abroad – to seek opportunities or safer and better prospects. The displaced Rohingya people from Rakhine, Myanmar hereby referred to as “ Rohingya migrants” and in general as “Migrants”