The surge of “boat people” arrivals into Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand merits closer enquiry into the issue of regional migration. The majority of the trafficked people are from Myanmar and Bangladesh.
By The Myanmar Times | Friday, 15 May 2015
The surge of “boat people” arrivals into Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand merits closer enquiry into the issue of regional migration. The majority of the trafficked people are from Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Human rights organisations have blamed Myanmar for the exodus, saying that it has been prompted by discrimination toward minority groups.
There are obviously deep problems in Rakhine State in respect to human rights. But economic opportunities, or lack thereof, are also a major driving force.
Myanmar and Bangladesh have a similar per-capita GDP – around US$1200. A major difference is in population density. While Bangladesh has less than a quarter of Myanmar’s land mass, its population, at 156 million, is three times as large.
For many people living in Bangladesh and Myanmar, the greener grass lies beyond the country’s borders. The higher wages in countries like Malaysia, with a per-capita GDP of about $11,000, and Thailand, at about $5500, entice many thousands to go abroad each year.
Economic disparity in the region is an issue that needs to be addressed. But responsibility lies not just with poorer countries like Myanmar and Bangladesh, but also their richer neighbours and the international community as a whole.
Countries must also come together to tackle the crime at the heart of this latest outflow of migrants. Many of these people have been held in horrendous conditions by human traffickers, who are now dumping them on foreign shores.
The culprits are simply exploiting the poor and helpless for financial gain. They – and those others who facilitate their despicable trade – must be brought to justice, whether they are in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia or Myanmar.
