These Rohingyas are not migrants, they are refugees

“A refugee is a person who owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his/her nationality and is unable, or owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself/herself of the protection of that country.”1951 Geneva Convention

In the last week, there have been heart-breaking scenes of emaciated men, women and children reaching up to catch bottles of water thrown by journalists who had found them in the open seas off Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia.

These people are fleeing in makeshift vessels on rough seas towards countries such as Malaysia and Thailand in Asia. Braving daunting conditions, some were fortunate to land on shores, but many perished along the way, their boats capsizing or forcibly sunk. Those successful to have landed on ground have been threatened with deportation or worse — a life in a refugee camp.