Arakan News Agency | Exclusive
The Myanmar military has released 28 Rohingya children, aged between 5 and 18, who were among 233 people detained by the Myanmar navy while attempting to migrate by sea to Malaysia. The remaining passengers are still being held.
An Arakan News Agency correspondent, citing local sources, reported that the boat was intercepted on December 31 near the city of Sittwe. The vessel was carrying people from the towns of Maungdaw and Buthidaung in Arakan State, who were seeking to reach Malaysia in search of safety and better livelihood opportunities.
Informed residents said that most of those detained had fled worsening living conditions in Arakan State, amid severe movement restrictions, limited job opportunities, food shortages, and widespread poverty. These conditions have pushed many Rohingya families to view irregular sea migration as their last resort.
Local sources also pointed to escalating persecution and insecurity in Rohingya areas, including abductions, threats, and intimidation allegedly carried out by Buddhist Arakan militias (the Arakan Army), alongside growing fears of forced recruitment and forced labor in recent months.
Despite the serious risks associated with sea journeys including detention, mistreatment, and loss of life the Rohingya continue to take these dangers in hopes of reaching safety. Malaysia remains a preferred destination due to the presence of a Rohingya community and the possibility of finding informal work.
Previously, local sources in Sittwe, the capital of Arakan State, reported that the Myanmar military had detained a boat carrying more than 200 Rohingya who were attempting to travel to Malaysia.
In November, the Myanmar military detained 513 Rohingya, including large numbers of women and children, in Sittwe after the Myanmar navy intercepted their boat en route to Malaysia. The navy had opened fire on the vessel weeks before the detention.
These incidents come amid continued attempts by the Rohingya to flee by sea to escape persecution and deteriorating humanitarian conditions. The number of displaced Rohingya in Sittwe is estimated at around 110,000 people spread across 16 camps, all suffering from severe food shortages, compounded by disruptions in humanitarian aid delivery, leaving the most vulnerable communities without support.
