16-11-2023 (JAKARTA) Around 200 Rohingya refugees arrived in Indonesia’s Aceh province on Thursday (Nov 16), marking the third boat to reach the shores in as many days. The recent arrivals bring the total number of Rohingya refugees over the three-day period to approximately 600 individuals.
The Rohingya, an ethnic Muslim minority from Myanmar, have long been fleeing their homeland on rickety wooden boats in search of safety in neighboring countries such as Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand.
The latest group of refugees landed in the Bireuen region of Aceh in the afternoon and consisted mostly of women and children, according to Miftah Cut Ade, the head of the local fishing community. Photos shared by Ade depicted the Rohingya huddled together on the beach, facing the sea.
On Wednesday, up to 200 Rohingya refugees arrived in Aceh’s Pidie region, and the day before that, 196 others reached the shores. Based on accounts from the Rohingya, Miftah stated that they had departed from Bangladesh.
Earlier this year, hundreds more Rohingya refugees had already reached Aceh after enduring months at sea.
Currently, nearly one million Rohingya refugees reside in camps in Bangladesh, making it “the biggest humanitarian refugee camp in the world,” as described by UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi. However, it is important to note that Indonesia is not a signatory of the UN refugee convention and therefore does not have the obligation or capacity to accommodate refugees or provide a permanent solution, according to Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry.
Lalu Muhamad Iqbal, spokesperson for the ministry, highlighted that Indonesia’s temporary shelter provisions have been exploited by people smugglers. He stated in a statement, “We have also identified that Indonesia’s kindness in providing temporary shelter has been misused by people smugglers.”
These recent arrivals come at a time when Myanmar’s military junta is facing significant challenges following their coup in 2021. Insurgent groups have launched coordinated offensives against the junta, gaining ground in various parts of the country.
