More than 100 Rohingya persons were rescued by Tamil fishermen off the coast of Mullaitivu district whose rickety country boat was drifting in choppy waters. The boat and its passengers escorted by the Sri Lankan Navy have reached Trincomalee as of Thursday (19) night. Tamil fishermen from the war-affected Mullaitivu district noticed the boat struggling roughly about 8 nautical miles off the coast and sent word to their fishermen on the coast.
Although the boat was rickety, it was in a position to sail, local fishermen say. The boat was then turned towards the Mullaitivu coast fearing for the safety of the travelers including children.
Local journalists quoting Mullaitivu fishermen say, a nine year old boy communicated in broken English to the local fishermen, who could not understand the language being spoken by them.
Wanni district MP and localite Thurairasa Raviharan, upon hearing the news ventured into the sea along with the fishermen in an attempt to ensure their safety taking food, biscuits, and water bottles organized some food for the Rohingya persons.
“There were 102 people in the boat of which 35 are children. Those in the country boat also include pregnant women. They were so weak and tired. So, immediately with the support of the Mullaitivu Fishermen Federation, the local public, and traders organized some food, biscuits, and drinking water and took them to the boat. The humanitarian response was instant from the public.”
The boat had stayed put in the waters of Mullaitivu coast for over 3 hours locals say. Subsequently, it was refueled and taken away to Trincomalee harbor by the Navy, where they say it is easy for them to disembark.
Mullivaikkal fishermen association president Arumugam Sivaneswaram told local journalists their fishermen’s timely intervention saved their lives which otherwise could have been in danger.
It was the fisher folk on the coast who immediately informed the officials and others on getting information from mid-sea.
“Our people were fishing in the waters off our coast when they spotted this boat and went near and inspected it. Many were drained and weak. Immediately it was informed to our fishermen’s association. We immediately informed the Fisheries department, local police, Grama Niladhari, and our MP. We organized some food and water”.
A team of doctors from Mullaitivu also rushed to the Myanmar boat along with the local MP and the fishermen. The language barrier was a big issue in communicating with them and understanding their needs, a local fisherman who went along with them had said.
None of those Rohingya could speak English, while the locals could not speak either Burmese or Rohingya. Also, all the children except one could be less than 5 years locals add. The only boy who they estimate could be around 9 years old spoke a little English which helped the locals to offer their support.
Local Government Agent Umamaheswaran was told by the Navy that the boat be taken to Trincomalee when he wanted to know the arrangement to be made locally in case they disembarked in Mullaitivu.
Local journalists say the GA was told by the Navy, that their instructions are to lead the boat to Trincomalee.
After the initial support by the locals, videos show the Navy carrying lunch supplied by the Military in the fishing boats of the Tamil fishermen.
A large number of the public assembled on the Mullaitivu coast could be heard saying to local journalists that the Navy which still occupies hundreds of acres of land belonging to the local Tamils did not even bring a boat for the relief materials to be supplied to the distressed Rohingyas.
Navy spokesperson Captain Gyan Wickremesurya said they are gathering information about the boat and those traveling in it, which drifted off the coast of Mullaitivu.
Mullaitivu public says it would have been better if those Rohingyas in the boat were offloaded on their coast and taken to Trincomalee by bus which is just an hour’s journey. If that had happened those distressed travelers, in particular the children and pregnant women could have been given a medical checkup and some basic amenities before being sent by road to Trincomalee.
They also point out it would have taken at least 5 hours by sea to reach Trincomalee from Mullaitivu and that long travel would have added stress to the already distressed.
Rohingya people are Muslims and a minority in the Rakhine state in Myanmar which is ruled by the military. Consistent attacks against the Rohingyas from the Myanmar military since 2017 have forced them to flee Myanmar for safety fearing for their lives. The UN estimates just over a million Rohingyas have fled Myanmar and have sought refuge in neighbouring Bangladesh.
No official communication from the Sri Lankan Navy or the UN High Commissioner for Refugees on the condition of those traveled in the boat has come as of Thursday night.
