UN chief urges to keep borders open to refugees stranded in Andaman Sea

UN Secretary General Ban Ki- moon on Thursday urged relevant governments to keep their borders and ports open to people believed to be stranded on smugglers' boats in the Andaman Sea and Straits of Malacca.

"He (secretary general) is alarmed by reports that some countries may be refusing entry to boats carrying refugees and migrants," said a statement of the secretary general's spokesperson reaching Xinhua.

The secretary general urged relevant governments to ensure that the obligation of rescue at sea is upheld and the prohibition on refoulement is maintained, according to the statement.

Moreover, the secretary general called on all leaders of Southeast Asia to intensify concerted efforts to address this worrying situation and tackle the root causes, which are often human rights violations.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has also expressed alarm at reports suggesting that Indonesia and Malaysia may have pushed back boats carrying vulnerable people from Myanmar and Bangladesh.

UNHCR said it has offered to support those governments to interview the different groups of the stranded people and to help work out solutions catering to their specific needs, as those being rescued are likely to be a mix of refugees, economic migrants, victims of trafficking, unaccompanied and separated children among those being smuggled.