The number of Rohingya Muslims fleeing Bangladesh and Myanmar increased five-fold last year, according to UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.
More than 3,500 attempted sea-crossings were registered in 2022, while some 700 people made similar journeys in 2021, the agency revealed.
“Out of 3,040 Rohingya who attempted to flee by sea last year, most were from Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia and Bangladesh and nearly 45 percent of those who did so were women and children,” UNHCR spokeswoman Shabia Mantoo told reporters in Geneva.
At least 348 individuals died or went missing at sea, making it one of the deadliest years since 2014. The most tragic incident happened in December, when a boat loaded with refugees sunk, leaving all 180 Rohingya Muslims on board presumably dead.
"They undertake dangerous sea journeys seeking protection, security, family reunification, and livelihoods in other countries. Growing desperation in Myanmar and Bangladesh appears to have driven the increasing numbers undertaking sea journeys in 2022," UNHCR explained.
Why Are Rohingya Muslims Fleeing?
The Rohingyas are an ethnic minority group that has been living in Myanmar for centuries, but have nevertheless been denied citizenship since 1982. Currently, they are all are considered illegal immigrants from South Asia.
Rohingya Muslims started fleeing the country in huge numbers after 2014, when Myanmar's government asked them to change their ethnicity from Rohingya to Bengali in the census. The Myanmar military conducted a deadly crackdown on them in 2017.
Myanmar is also on trial for genocide in the UN’s top court over the mass exodus.