Just before the election in Myanmar,  Photographer Jason Florio and I visited the camps in southern Bangladesh near Cox Bazaar and the Myanmarese camps in Sittwe. My goal was to film the stories of the Rohingya but I took a number of photos in an effort to try to capture the unique look and situation of the Rohingya across two countries. All video and photos were taken with a Leica M 240 with the usual complement of Leica lenses from 18mm to 90mm. As with all refugee camps it was not difficult to find subjects. When I was in the camps taking these photos, the people were hopeful that the newly elected Aung San Suu Kyi would bring change. But her election speeches and her actions after being elected showed them that she has little interest in the plight of minorities, including the Rohingya. As of last week, the Rohingya began heading out to sea in what is called the ‘Sailing Season’ - the calm period in the Bay of Bengal  from November to May. Between 20,000 and 60,000 people will try to find a way to Malaysia and many will die or disappear alone the way. Currently there are no accurate figures on the irregular movement of refugees or the deaths at sea. All numbers used by the UNHCR and other NGOs are estimates based on second hand information but is assumed that between 800 and 3000 people die every year; not all from drowning. Some are killed by smugglers and thrown overboard, some die from the effects of being kidnapped at sea.  Some just vanish. All of the adult Rohingya I met knew people that had left, been ransomed and knew many that had simply disappeared. They estimate that about 10% never contact them again. A much higher figure than the official estimated death rate of 1.2%. The Rohingya are an ethnic Muslim group found in Southern Bangladesh and in the Rahkine state of Northern Myanmar in South East Asia. Although the Rohingya were part of an ancient kingdom named Arakan they are treated as interlopers by the government of Myanmar (who even forbid using the world ‘Rohingya’).  Inside Myanmar and the camps in Bangladesh, the Rohingya do not have passports, are not allowed to move outside the camps and are called ‘Bengalis’ in an effort to remove their indigenous rights.  Because of the long oppression of the Rohingya, and their inability to be educated, earn wages or even seek medical care, many set out in boats or are pulled into human trafficking routes and head south to Malaysia and beyond. Although they are poor, smugglers who work with the local police and government often entice them to get aboard trawlers which operate in international waters. Once aboard these bootleg fishing vessels, they find themselves kidnapped and forced to work.  The Rohingya are ransomed for around $2000 dollars. In the camps, I heard sad first hand tales of rape, murder and people being thrown overboard if the ransom was not paid. Often the Navy will chase smugglers who will abandon overcrowded boats leaving the Rohingya to starve and die.  Even if the ransom is paid (usually by phone transfer) many are dumped on land only to be kidnapped again and ransomed by Thai smugglers who keep them in remote forest camps. This May the world saw these abandoned boats at sea and the mass graves found in the jungles near Ranong, Thailand. This year, for the first time an NGO has sent a rescue ship, equipped with drones to help these people lost at sea. The Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS.EU) will position their search and rescue ship the Phoenix and two large Schiebel S100 camcopter drones in the Andaman Sea and be there to assist and coordinate.  It is through public donations that it has been made possible to bring attention to this humanitarian catastrophe. Robert Young Pelton is an author, filmmaker, the publisher of MigrantReport.org. He is also a Strategic Consultant for the Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) NGO based in Malta.