3-1-2024 (JAKARTA) Indonesian parliamentarians are urging global action, particularly from ASEAN countries, to address the ongoing crisis involving Myanmar and the Rohingya people. Achmad Hafisz Thohir, Vice Chairman of the Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Agency of the Indonesian People’s Representative Assembly, issued a statement on December 30, calling for concrete measures to be taken.
Thohir proposed actions that include isolating Myanmar in international forums, conducting military operations and imposing economic sanctions, freezing passports and visas of individuals linked to Myanmar, and bringing those responsible for the genocide to international courts. He accused the Myanmar military junta of ruthlessly killing Rohingya, emphasizing that the authorities display no sense of responsibility towards the Rohingya, denying them basic human rights and leaving their fate uncertain.
“The military government believed it had no obligations and acted arbitrarily, resorting to repression and murder. The Rohingya were massacred and driven away,” stated Thohir. He urged all ASEAN nations to intensify efforts to halt the atrocities and ethnic cleansing perpetrated by the Myanmar military junta against the Rohingya.
Despite Indonesia deploying its navy to repel Rohingya boats, Reuters, citing the Antara news agency, reported that over 140 Rohingyas arrived in Deli Serdang, North Sumatra Province, by boat last Saturday. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, more than 1,500 Rohingya have landed in Indonesia since November of the previous year. Despite not being a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, Aceh Province residents in Indonesia have historically welcomed arriving refugees, particularly Rohingya Muslims.
However, recent sentiments among Indonesians have shifted, expressing resistance to hosting refugees. Complaints center around concerns that refugees strain limited resources and lead to conflicts with local communities. The situation underscores the complexities and challenges faced by nations dealing with refugee influxes.
