Sanjib Kumar Roy
Port Blair, Jan 16: As many as 1099 Rohingya migrants, including some ladies and minors, from Myanmar, have reached Andaman and Nicobar Islands in last one year.
According to Indian Coast Guard they have been either rescued or apprehended by Indian Coast Guard. Some of them had landed in remote Islands, after engine of their boats developed snag.
“Since 01 January 2012 altogether 1099 Rohingyas have either been rescued or apprehended by Coast Guard in 13 different incidences,” Inspector General VSR Murthy, PTM, TM, Commander of A& N Coast Guard Region told ‘Andaman Sheekha’ today.
He said that other than this nearly 490 persons in four boats have been shepherded outside Indian Territorial Waters by Coast Guard Ship C-145 last year.
Sources have confirmed that considering sudden spurt in these incidences the Andaman and Nicobar Command and Coast Guard have started 24 hours surveillance in India-Bangladesh and Myanmar sea boarders, to make sure that no more such human traffickers reache Andaman Coasts.
According to apprehended or rescued Rohingya migrants their primary destinations are either Malaysia or Thailand, for which they pay heavy amount to Agents.
“They usually reaches in Andaman waters in dilapidates condition of boat and engine, with 1000 to 2000 ltrs diesel, just sufficient to reach destination. They are provided with insufficient rations and fresh water. There have been cases where Coast Guard Helicopters have dropped ration and water in their boats for their survival,” IG Murthy told ‘Andaman Sheekha’.
According to experts gross economic mis-management and human right abuses in Myanmar is the leading to migration of men and women and children to South East Asia.
These migrants are now known as ‘The boat people’ in international media.
“Lack of knowledge of marine navigation, poor state of boats and machinery coupled with lack of food and water onboard brings them to Andaman Coast,” the IG added.
As presence of organised syndicate is a known fact, experts believe that more than a social issue, this has become a diplomatic issue, which India must take up with Myanmar Government.
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