Any Sri Lankan behind smuggling in Rohingyas? Probe begins

Colombo, Jan 10 (Daily Mirror) - Following Rohingya arrivals and intelligence reports about plans for further 100,000 such cases, the police have begun investigations to ascertain whether any Sri Lankan is involved behind this human smuggling racket, a Minister said yesterday.

Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala told Daily Mirror that it is believed that a Sri Lankan is also involved in smuggling these people, and a probe is now in progress to discover it. He said the intelligence reports point to propagations being carried out in Rohingya camps elsewhere in the region, promoting Sri Lanka as a destination for arrival.

The UNHCR said Rohingyas, stateless refugees from Myanmar have sought safety in the region in the first five days of the New Year.

Three weeks before, 115 Rohingyas landed in Sri Lanka after losing six people at sea.

A total of 460 men, women and children have so far arrived by boat in countries in the region, including Malaysia (196 people on 3 January) and Indonesia (264 people on 5 January) after weeks at sea.

“Saving lives must be the first priority,” said Hai Kyung Jun, Director of UNHCR’s Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific. “We appreciate the steps taken by governments in the region to receive these vulnerable people who fled fighting and persecution back home and survived long days at sea with little food and water. We stand ready to provide support to governments and local efforts to assist them.”

The new arrivals come at the peak of the “sailing season” – when seas are calmer between the annual monsoon seasons – following an intensification of fighting in Myanmar. In 2024, more than 7,800 Rohingyas attempted to flee the country by boat – an 80 per cent increase compared to 2023. Over 650 people died or were reported missing enroute, making this one of the world’s most perilous journeys. More children embarked on the voyage, accounting for 44 per cent of total passengers, up from 37 per cent in 2023. The proportion of women also increased to almost a third, according to the UNHCR.

Among last year’s new trends, thousands of people were so desperate to flee that they risked their lives trying to cross the Naf River to Bangladesh in severe weather during the rainy season. In addition, an increasing proportion of Rohingyas have set sail directly from Myanmar whereas in the past, many left from Bangladesh’s camps.

There are reports of boats being pushed back to sea. “While states have the legitimate right to control their borders and manage irregular movements, especially in the context of people smuggling and trafficking, such measures must guarantee the rights of people to reach safety,” said Jun. “We call on all states to continue search and rescue efforts and make sure that survivors receive the assistance and protection they need.”

As the situation in Myanmar continues to deteriorate, more people are expected to flee in the coming months. An important part of the solution lies in building on the solid cooperation and planning that has already been undertaken by ASEAN and the Bali Process to address irregular maritime movements, according to the UNHCR.