The United Nations Office at Geneva
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30 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar were found dead on board a boat in the Bay of Bengal, that had been drifting at sea for 2 months. Nearly 400 others were found on board this fishing trawler by the Bangladesh coast guard attempted to make landfall on Bangladesh's southeast coast near Cox's Bazar.
SOUNDBITE (English)—Rupert Colville, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “ We are shocked by the news that more than 30 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar have died on board a boat in the Bay of Bengal, and that nearly 400 others were found dehydrated, malnourished and in need of immediate medical attention after nearly two months at sea. And many of those on board the vessel as you may have seen from the picture were women and children.”
SOUNDBITE (English)—Rupert Colville, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “The UN Refugee Agency UNHCR and their partners in Bangladesh are currently providing shelter and assistance to the survivors who disembarked from the boat yesterday morning”
SOUNDBITE (English)—Rupert Colville, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “We are aware of reports that this boat had repeatedly sought a safe harbour, but the vessel was unable to land in Malaysia. Whatever efforts are taken to combat people smuggling, this should be a time for compassion towards those in desperate need of assistance and protection. In light of reports of other vessels in similar circumstances still at sea, we strongly urge stepped-up search and rescue efforts to be conducted in a timely manner.”
SOUNDBITE (English)—Rupert Colville, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “All States should ensure that their responses to migrants in distress at sea are based on international human rights and refugee law, and that they are permitted safe disembarkation. Dangerous interception practices, including pushing back boats that are trying to land, must be scrupulously avoided.”
SOUNDBITE (English)—Rupert Colville, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “Today, we are aware that the situation in Rakhine and neighbouring Chin State is again dire. There has been a spike in violence between the ethnic Arakan Army armed
group and the Myanmar army, and that is impacting civilians of all ethnic groups living in the area, including Rohingya, Rakhine, Chin, Mro, Daignet and others. Myanmar’s military has been carrying out almost daily airstrikes and shelling in populated areas resulting in at least 32 deaths and 71 injuries since 23 March, the majority of those are women and children, and destroying and burning schools and homes.”
SOUNDBITE (English)—Rupert Colville, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “Despite the UN Secretary General’s call for a global ceasefire during the COVID-19 pandemic, these calls for a ceasefire have been ignored.”
SOUNDBITE (English)—Rupert Colville, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “ And further complicating the situation, there has been an internet blackout I believe it’s the longest in the world, in nine townships across Rakhine and Chin States since June 2019. That is not far off a year now. This blackout has greatly hampered the availability of reliable public information on hygiene, physical distancing precautions and other preventative measures. Internet restrictions have also been applied by the Bangladesh authorities to the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox's Bazar.”
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