"Over 2000 arrested after perilous escape journeys. Some die of starvation"

NarinjaraNews March 31,2023

The Muslim refugees who are living in IDP (Internally displaced people) camps in Rakhine State are facing increasingly difficultcircumstances in terms of their livelihoodand survival. As a result, many of them are seeking to leave and migrate to other countries. Unfortunately thisjourney is perilous, and can result in arrests, and some of them die due to starvation.

Muslim refugees have been forced to live in Rohingya IDPcamps in Rakhine State for over a decade,enduring strict movement restrictions and a lack of employment opportunities, leaving them with little hope for abetter future.

Due to severe restrictions on their freedom of movement,Muslim refugees living in IDP campsare resorting to undocumented migration through land and sea routes with the assistance of smugglers.

Despite the risks of arrest, they hold onto the hope thattheir lives will improve once theyreach their destination abroad, a Muslim man from Sittwe said.

“ Underthe current circumstances in Rakhine State, most Muslims are not permitted to move about freely. Despite receiving 21,000 kyats from WFP each month,it is insufficient to supporttheir livelihood. As a result, some are attempting to relocate to other areas, knowing the potential riskof arrest if they are caught. While some successfullyreach their destination, a larger number are arrested midway through their journey. Despite these risks, they havedecided that the possibility of death is preferableto remaining in their current situation, and are determined to leave the country. They face numerous hardshipsand instances of bullying here, and theirfreedom of movement is restricted”, he explained.

The World Food Programme (WFP) provides each Muslim refugeein the IDP camps located in SittweTownship with 21,000 kyats per month. However, due to the high cost of living, this amount is insufficientto support their livelihoods, and they are struggling to make ends meet. 

“ Becauseof financial constraints, I worked as a goat and cow herder. The tents in our camp are inadequate, making living conditions uncomfortable andcompromising the safety of thegirls”, a Muslim young adult womanfrom Sittwe told Narinjara.

As life in the IDP camps becomes increasingly difficult,some Muslim refugees have resortedto selling their homes and rationbooks to raise funds, then reach out to smugglerswho charge approximately 4 million kyats per person to facilitate their migration to neighboring countries viarisky routes, an official from Thea Chaung IDP camp in Sittwe Township said.

If they are intercepted during their journey, they may losethe advance payment they providedto the smugglers and could be sent back empty-handed to the IDP camps. 

“Those who embark on a journey abroad face the risk of beingarrested and losing their money.In some cases, they may even end up in jail and be forcibly sent back to their starting point. If they get caught,they have a lot to lose. They are often lured by smugglers who promise safe passage to their destination. Whilesuccess is possible, theconsequences of getting caught halfway through the journey are dire, and thisrisk often outweighs the potentialbenefits”, the camp official noted.

The Military Council has released data showing that morethan 2,000 Muslim refugees whodeparted IDP camps in Rakhine State between December 2021 and March 2023 were arrested while attempting to reachneighboring countries.

Some Muslims who attempted to migrate were detained atcheckpoints in Rakhine State, aswell as in Yangon and Ayeyarwady Regions, and subsequently sent back to Rakhine State. They were later chargedwith violations of immigration laws and given prison sentences. In addition some Muslim refugees died ofstarvation while en route to theirdestination.

On April 20th, 2020, around 800 Muslims who were grantedamnesty by the President andreleased from prisons were transported from Yangon to Rakhine State by navy ship. From the 800, over 600 Muslimswere relocated to Sittwe, while the remaining 200 were sent to towns located in the far north near the borderwith Bangladesh. 

Muslims living in Sittwe, Pauktaw, Myebon, and Kyaukphyuhave been residing in IDP campsfor a decade since the conflicts erupted in Rakhine State in 2012. 

Several IDP camps have been established in the west ofSittwe Township to accommodateMuslim refugees, including Thea Chaung, Mhan Si, Say Thamar Gyi, Ohn Taw Gyi, Ohn Taw Chay, GaungDokkhar, Vay Du Pha, and That Ke Pyin. Inaddition, there are Nghet Chaung and A Naut Ye IDP camps in Pauktaw, andone IDP camp each in Myebon andKyauk Phyu.  

Narinjara attempted to contact the government of RakhineState to ascertain the precisenumber of Muslim refugees residing in the camps, but was unsuccessful in establishing communication.

 Photo - Muslims under arrest while attempting to leaveRakhine State for overseas Destinations