Let us stand together and advocate for the fundamental human rights of the Rohingya.
Join us in sharing Doctors Without Borders' award-winning animated video depicting the profound journey of courage and hope undertaken by the Rohingya. This film unveils the gripping odyssey of Rohingya refugees, portraying the harrowing realities they confront in their quest for safety.
Inspired by the real-life ordeal of Muhib, a brave Rohingya who navigated a perilous sea voyage to Malaysia, escaping the turmoil in Myanmar, this film paints a vivid picture of resilience and sacrifice. Muhib spent over two weeks adrift in the Andaman Sea, sharing a crowded fishing boat with desperate men, women, and children. Tragically, 27 fellow passengers succumbed to the harsh conditions, compelling them to consign their bodies to the sea.
Through evocative dream-like sequences and poignant flashbacks, 'Lost at Sea' immerses you in Muhib's memories, particularly a song from his mother in Myanmar. This film beautifully captures the deep personal sacrifices and unwavering spirit of resilience that define the Rohingya refugees' plight.
Share this emotional journey with your family and friends, raising awareness and empathy for those enduring such heart-wrenching experiences.
Take Action for the Rohingya
Nearly seven years since the mass exodus of the Rohingya, they remain stateless, with very limited options or rights in any country where they have sought refuge. You can help by taking action for the Rohingya.
It is tragic that many countries along the Andaman Sea are now closing their borders to Rohingya boats. When these refugees are allowed to disembark from their boat, they are immediately detained and punished according to local laws.
This absence of safe disembarkation and the criminalisation of people seeking refuge, force an increasing number of people to risk their lives and take perilous journeys across the Andaman sea – with devastating effects.
A recent report from UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, reveals "a surge in the number of desperate Rohingya refugees reportedly dying or going missing" on similar boat journeys during 2023.
“569 Rohingya were reported to have perished or gone missing last year in South-East Asian waters, with nearly 4,500 embarking on deadly sea journeys – a significant increase on previous years.”
Speak Out
We urgently need you to write to your MP and ask them to protect the rights of Rohingya refugees and asylum seekers and voice their opposition to harsh and inhumane migration policies and laws. Your government can choose not to implement its cruel policies.
Using your own words will carry more impact, so we have not provided a template letter. However, you may wish to make the following requests:
- Demand the government to immediately stop their cruel plans to repatriate men, women and children to Myanmar. This will cause terrible suffering and misery, as Doctors Without Borders teams have seen elsewhere in the world, and undermine the spirit of the Refugee Convention. Any repatriation of the Rohingya must be voluntary, safe and dignified.
- Ask the government what analysis has been carried out to assess whether men, women and children will be put at risk of self-harm, suicide or mental distress as a direct result of being put in detention centres, or being forcefully repatriated.
- Request your government to open their borders to boats of refugees and allow safe disembarkation without detention
- Call for the humane and dignified treatment of the Rohingya and provide them access to affordable healthcare as well as formal education and employment.
Give a platform for the Rohingya
You can also help by providing a platform for the Rohingya to be heard.
Organise webinars or sharing sessions, listen to the stories and testimonies of the Rohingya, know and understand their situation, their history and culture. By doing so, you will understand that they are also fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, friends, people like you who just want to carve out a better life for themselves and their children.
We have shelter, but beyond that, we do not have much for our children. We depend on food assistance and worry about what to feed them and if it’s enough. We worry about how to clothe them and how to educate them. I cannot provide what they need as I have no money. Sometimes I eat less than I should because in my heart, I want to sell the extra food to buy my children something. This is how we are living – half fedTayeba Begum, mother of six
The Rohingya need your help
In Myanmar, Bangladesh and Malaysia, Doctors Without Borders works to support primary healthcare for the Rohingya, including mental health, sexual reproductive health, and support to survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.
For the price of a cup of coffee, you can help three Rohingya children receive much-needed malaria treatment. With your help, we can continue providing the support they and other vulnerable people caught in crises need.