Cross-border movement of Rohingya refugees 28. The lack of security and protection, viable livelihood opportunities and a sense of hopelessness for the future, drives onward migration for Rohingya men, women and children. Without access to documentation, there are no legal routes to cross borders either by sea or land. There are also few options for secure, safe and decent work in Bangladesh or beyond. As a result, refugees are unable to choose safe or regular migration options to travel and always rely on networks of brokers to leave the country or camps, leaving individuals and families vulnerable to exploitation on route and at the destination. 29. Many Rohingyas leave the camps for Southeast Asia in search of increased security and ways to financially support themselves and their loved ones. The desired destination is often, but not always, Malaysia. Currently two main routes are used by smuggling/trafficking networks – by boat across the Andaman Sea, and by land across Myanmar to Thailand and then onwards. Both routes are extremely risky. Families of the travellers in Bangladesh and Myanmar often face rising debts, extortion, and threats from brokers. On route many are subject to torture and other forms of physical and sexual violence, death and injury, arbitrary detention and sometimes forced labour. Sea Routes and Search and Rescue 30. Those that travel by sea often find themselves on unsafe, over-crowded or illequipped vessels. As a result, they can face food and water shortages, ill-health, injury and death. There are also frequent reports of torture, sexual violence and arbitrary detention by agents and brokers on route. Sometimes the smugglers/traffickers demand extra payments, detaining passengers on the boats and preventing them from disembarking without payment. In December 2023, many Rohingyas lost their lives on these routes.8 content/uploads/2020/09/Navigating-the-Margins_Family-Mobility-and-Livelihoods-AmongstRohingya-inBangladesh.pdf [accessed 20/09/2022] 8 For December 2023 news on Rohingya boat crossings, see the following media links: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/12/19/sri-lanka-navy-rescues-over-100-rohingya-adrift-inrough-seas https://www.voanews.com/a/weak-rohingya-land-on-indonesian-beach-after-weeks-atsea/6891508.html https://www.voanews.com/a/more-rohingya-refugees-reach-indonesia-after-weeks-atsea/6892912.html ;https://www.facebook.com/mohrmyanmar/posts/pfbid0DWSatU2itfnKBa8SV1QAxFN79QRGUPqLq7 F3UEoDeES6Yrv73VLYEDFfLkFm6aKZl ;https://www.unhcr.org/news/briefing/2023/1/63c66c3c4/unhcr-seeks-comprehensive-regionalresponse-address-rise-deadly-south-east.html ; https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/01/1132517 ; https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/12/20/rohingya-boat-remains-adrift-for-three-weekswithout-water-food ;https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/least-20-reported-dead-rohingyaboats-land-indonesia-2022-12-27/ ;https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/01/17/bangladesh-rampantpolice-abuse-rohingya-refugees https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2023/jan/18/rohingya-fleeing-bangladesh-boatsoars-human-smugglers ;https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2022/12/coordinated-regionalaction-urged-stop-rohingya-deaths-sea-unexpert;https://twitter.com/HRWMyanmar/status/1600563329977696278 7