Maritime Rescue of Rohingya Refugees Adrift... Bangladesh Says "No Obligation to Repatriate"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] Eighty-one Rohingya refugees who were drifting due to a boat engine failure in the Andaman Sea of the Indian Ocean were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard on the 26th (local time), but Bangladesh, where the refugee camps are located, refused to accept them.

According to major foreign media, eight bodies were also found on the boat, having died from dehydration and other causes as drinking water and food ran out. Most of the 81 survivors are reported to be suffering from various diseases and severe dehydration.

An Indian official stated, "We are discussing with the Bangladesh side to safely send them back," adding, "We are doing our best to save the survivors and are also repairing the boat."

The Indian authorities provided food, drinking water, medicine, and clothing to help restore their health.

The boat departed from Cox's Bazar in southern Bangladesh, where the Rohingya refugee camps are located, on the 11th. The engine broke down early last week, causing the boat to drift, and the rescue was carried out after the Indian Coast Guard detected an SOS signal.

However, India is not a signatory to the Refugee Convention and therefore has no legal obligation under international law to protect refugees. It is reported that these refugees have not been allowed to enter Indian territory and remain at sea.

The Bangladesh government has stated that it has no obligation to accept the refugees.

A.K. Abdul Momen, Bangladesh's Foreign Minister, said, "They are not Bangladeshis but Myanmar nationals," and added, "India, which is close to the location where the refugees were found, Myanmar, their home country, or other organizations should take care of them."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.