Migrants in ‘Maritime ping-pong’

Koh Lipe

The fate of around 300 ethnic Rohingya migrants whose overcrowded trawler has been bounced for days between Thai and Malaysian waters dramatises the desperate plight of Southeast Asia's new boat-people.Thousands more migrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar are also believed to be at sea in rickety boats and at risk of starvation. The boat with its miserable, rake-thin human cargo was found on Thursday adrift near the southern Thai resort of Koh Lipe. While the Thai navy gave food and water to the passengers -- many of whom are women and young children -- they have since continued to drift with a damaged engine across the sea border with Malaysia, seemingly unwanted by either country or by Indonesia. The boat's location was still unclear yesterday as rights groups and journalists scoured the sea near the Malaysia border area for signs of it. But, a Thai official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the boat was "believed be in the overlapping sea zone between Malaysia and Indonesia". If true, it would reflect a new phase in what a rights group has dubbed "maritime ping pong" between regional neighbours tackling a flood of migrants in recent days. "This boat represents the lack of response and political will to protect Rohingya refugees and survivors of trafficking," said Amy Smith of Fortify Rights. Urging regional governments to act as the monsoon season approaches and the sea journey becomes even more treacherous, she added: "These are not people who are making choices. They are being forced out of their country." Meanwhile, nearly 3,000 economic migrants from Bangladesh and stateless Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar have reached Thai, Malaysian and Indonesian shores in recent days. Several thousand more people are believed to still be at sea, either abandoned or waiting for passage to Malaysia or points further south.Meanwhile, Thailand says it has not pushed back any boats during the current crisis. Instead, it says it offered shelter to those willing to disembark from the stricken boat discovered last Thursday, but the offer was declined by the passengers. Late Saturday the Thai navy fixed the boat's engine for the second time and again directed the vessel southwards, the migrants' apparent favoured destination."They repeated their intention that they want to go to another country, not Thailand," Lieutenant Commander Weerapong Nakprasit told reporters. "We provided them with food, water and some medicine... if there are any new boats coming we will provide humanitarian assistance." The plight of those on board may be further complicated by the presence of people-smugglers who want to reach Malaysia to deliver their cargo and avoid jail in Thailand.Vivian Tan, a UNHCR spokeswoman in Bangkok, said the refugee agency had heard that "one or two 'strongmen' were (on board) and trying to influence the group to say they want to go to Malaysia" "But many of those on board clearly need help immediately. No matter what some people on the boat say, whatever it takes, we need to bring people ashore," Tan said.