Over 180 Rohingya refugees arrived in Aceh, Indonesia, some requiring medical attention after being left on the beach by a fishing boat. Many of the refugees left Bangladesh by boat, and were offered a price to go to a far place, either Indonesia or Malaysia. Over 700,000 Rohingya Muslims fled Myanmar in 2017 after an army-led crackdown, and many who left by sea aimed to reach Muslim-majority Malaysia, but some have ended up in Indonesia. Aceh has previously seen over 500 Rohingya land in 2022, with the most recent group in February, and in early January, 184 weak and hungry Rohingya refugees were found. Indonesia is not a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention, but has provided temporary shelters and basic necessities for refugees. The arrival of Rohingya refugees in Indonesia raises concerns about the safety and well-being of refugees and the lack of global action towards finding a solution to the ongoing Rohingya crisis.
Over 180 Rohingya Refugees Found on Indonesian Beach
A group of over 180 Rohingya Muslims arrived in the early hours of Monday in Aceh, Indonesia’s northernmost province. Disoriented and some requiring medical attention, the refugees arrived by fishing boat at Kuala Matang Peulawi, a coastal area in East Aceh. According to Andy Rahmansyah, East Aceh police chief, “the boat took them and told them that they have arrived at their destination and left them at the beach.” He added that authorities are still gathering information and providing medical aid to some of the refugees.
The group, including women and children, left Bangladesh by boat before being left stranded on the beach. The refugees said that the boat took them from Bangladesh and left them in the dark after they disembarked on the beach. They also reported being offered a price for the boat ride to a far place, whether it be Indonesia or Malaysia.
Since 2017, over 700,000 Rohingya Muslims fled Myanmar to refugee camps in Bangladesh due to the army-led crackdown. Myanmar security forces have been accused of burning thousands of Rohingya homes, mass rapes, and killings. Many of the refugees who left the camps by sea attempted to reach Muslim-majority Malaysia, with some ending up in Indonesia along the way.
This is not the first time Rohingya refugees have been found in Aceh. Over 500 Rohingya landed in Aceh in 2022, with the most recent group arriving in February. In early January, 184 weak and hungry Rohingya refugees were found on Kuala Gigieng beach, also in Aceh Besar district.
Indonesia is not a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention, which has led to difficulties in accommodating refugees in the country. However, it has provided temporary shelters and basic necessities for refugees found on its shores.
The arrival of Rohingya refugees in Indonesia, particularly in Aceh, raises concerns about the safety and well-being of refugees and the lack of global action towards finding a solution to the ongoing Rohingya crisis.
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