Amnesty International has urged the Bangladesh authorities and other Southeast Asian governments to rescue and welcome Rohingya refugees currently stranded at sea.
The human rights body asked the governments in the region to carry out search and rescue efforts, according to a press release on Wednesday.
Two fishing trawlers carrying an estimated 500 Rohingya women, men, and children are currently in the Bay of Bengal after being pushed away by Malaysia which has imposed restrictions on all boats in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The two trawlers are headed towards Bangladesh a week after an earlier vessel carrying nearly 400 Rohingya refugees arrived on April 15.
Amnesty International asked the governments in the region to allow safe disembarkation of refugees and asylum seekers at sea.
Various reports also suggest there could be another vessel still at sea with hundreds more Rohingya stranded, further highlighting the need for governments in the region to get involved in search and rescue operations if needed, according to the press release.
Amnesty International South Asia Director Biraj Patnaik said: “In contrast to the cruel indifference demonstrated by other governments, who have actively pushed away boats, Bangladesh has maintained its positive record of giving sanctuary to people who have lost their homes and suffered horrific crimes.”
They hope that Bangladesh will continue to welcome Rohingya refugees in these difficult times, he said.
“The international community has an obligation to help the Bangladeshi authorities in this task, including in supporting efforts to set up quarantine centres and provide refugees the immediate medical assistance they require to recover from the journey and to protect them against the spread of the virus,” he added.
Amnesty International last week called on Southeast Asian governments to launch immediate search and rescue operations for potentially hundreds more Rohingya refugees languishing at sea.
