January 13, 2017
Hundreds of Rohingyas remain stranded in Don Khali char of Maungdaw South as there is a shortage of boats to ferry them across the Bay of Bengal.
A group of more than a hundred refugees from Nan Yah Gone in Buthidaung say they have been stuck for a fortnight in the coastal island of Don Khali.
Meanwhile every day, dozens of refugees, mainly from Rathedaung and Southern Buthidaung continue to enter Bangladesh mainly through the remote island of Shahpwuri Dweep. Many entering are women who have been kept prisoners and brutally tortured by the Tatmadaw during the 2017 crackdown. Many of the stranded women are kidnapped and raped by security forces almost on a daily basis.
The influx of refugees continued despite a repatriation deal signed by Myanmar and Bangladesh in which the regime has promised the government of Bangladesh to resettle Rohingyas who escaped the brutal crackdown of 2017. The repatriation process is scheduled to start in just over a week, as refugees continue to enter Bangladesh every day.
Bangladesh government forces are transferring any refugees who land on Bangladesh territory to the sprawling refugee camps. However, the sea routes were closed in November last year after a series of boat accidents and the exploitation by human traffickers who seized everything they could from the refugees. The closure has however further hiked up the price of boat journey and led to a shortage of boats, leading to more sufferings for those stuck on the coastal char islands where there is a shortage of fresh water and food.
Most of these refugees are from Rathedaung and Southern Buthidaung from where they have walked through treacherous mountain passes for more than two weeks, often carrying infant children with them.
