It also highlights the desperation of those fleeing the crisis in Myanmar, as well as those fleeing violence and persecution from Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. 

Indeed, 2023 marked the deadliest year at sea in the region since the 2015 Andaman Sea Crisis, in which thousands of Rohingya and Bengali refugees were stranded at sea, and a sorely inadequate regional response led to the deaths of hundreds. Most recently, a boat carrying 151 Rohingya refugees capsized off the coast of West Aceh on March 20. Only 75 were rescued.

Urgent action is needed to ensure these events are not repeated in 2024 and beyond.

The most pressing concern in the region is Myanmar where violent actions taken by the military against the Rohingya have been described as genocidal by the United Nations. Seven years after the mass exodus of Rohingya to Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh, conditions have only worsened, yet there is a glaring lack of coordinated effort to address the issue and save lives. This must change.

ASEAN is often seen as hesitant to tackle sensitive issues like refugees and forced migration, particularly given Myanmar’s membership in the 10-country bloc. To date, the bloc has primarily focused on combating human trafficking and migrant smuggling, aligning with a regional emphasis on rising transnational crime. 

While some progress has been made, prioritizing national security over humanitarian protection and framing migration as a crime issue is unsustainable and fails to address the root causes of forced migration.