It is with great sorrow that the Arakan Rohingya National Alliance (ARNA) expresses deep grief over the tragic sinking of a boat carrying Rohingya refugees near Malaysian waters earlier this week. According to media reports, the vessel believed to be carrying hundreds of desperate Rohingya men, women, and children capsized while attempting to reach safety. Many remain missing, and only a few survivors have been recovered by Malaysian authorities.
This heartbreaking tragedy once again highlights the unbearable conditions that force Rohingya families to risk their lives at sea. With ongoing armed conflict in Rakhine State, mass displacement, persecution, and restrictions on movement, the Rohingya people continue to face systematic violence from both the Myanmar military (Tatmadaw) and the Arakan Army (AA). Their coordinated campaigns of oppression, forced recruitment, and land confiscation have left thousands with no option but to flee by dangerous sea routes in search of dignity and safety.
ARNA strongly condemns the continued neglect and silence of the international community while Rohingya lives are lost year after year in the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea. These repeated maritime disasters are not isolated incidents—they are symptoms of a deeper crisis driven by ongoing persecution and state failure in Myanmar.
We call on:
- ASEAN and UN member states to urgently establish coordinated search and rescue mechanisms in the Andaman Sea and Southeast Asian waters.
- Regional governments to provide immediate humanitarian access to survivors and ensure safe disembarkation without detention.
- The international community to intensify diplomatic and legal pressure on both the Myanmar junta and Arakan Army to halt all forms of persecution, violence, and forced displacement targeting Rohingya civilians.
The Rohingya’s repeated suffering at sea is a direct result of decades of impunity and denial of their basic rights. Without addressing the root causes in Arakan, more lives will continue to be lost.
ARNA stands in solidarity with the victims and their families, urging all partners and governments to act with humanity and urgency before another tragedy unfolds.
For further inquiries, please contact:
secretariat@thearna.org
About ARNA:
The Arakan Rohingya National Alliance (ARNA) was established to unify all Rohingya leadership and establish a cohesive policy framework for the community. It serves as an alliance of Rohingyas from within Myanmar, refugee camps, internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps, and the Rohingya diaspora.
Main Objective of ARNA
The primary objective of ARNA is to unify the Rohingya people under one alliance, amplifying their voices, and to achieve their right of self-determination within the Federal Union of Myanmar. This includes advocating for their right to return to their homes, securing justice for atrocities committed against them, and ensuring their political and human rights are recognized and upheld.