28-12-2023 (JAKARTA) Hundreds of university students in the Indonesian province of Aceh have forcefully entered a temporary shelter for Rohingya refugees, demanding their immediate deportation. The incident took place on Wednesday when protesters expelled over 100 Rohingya individuals from a convention centre located in the city of Banda Aceh. This alarming act of discrimination against the persecuted minority group from Myanmar highlights the ongoing challenges faced by the Rohingya community. The United Nations reports that the recent influx of more than 1,500 Rohingya refugees arriving in Aceh since mid-November is the largest in eight years.
Tragically, some of the Rohingya boats attempting to find refuge in Indonesia have been rejected by local communities and have even been forced to return to sea. Disturbing videos of the incident depict students, many wearing jackets adorned with their respective university insignias, descending into the basement of the convention centre. Chanting slogans such as “Kick them out” and “Reject Rohingya in Aceh,” the students proceeded to mistreat the Rohingya men, women, and children by kicking their belongings and causing distress.
Subsequently, the refugees were escorted out of the convention centre, with some hastily gathering their belongings in plastic sacks before being loaded onto trucks. During this distressing episode, protesters resorted to burning tires and engaging in scuffles with the police who were assigned to protect the vulnerable Rohingya community. Ultimately, law enforcement authorities allowed the students to remove the refugees from the premises. The police assisted in facilitating the refugees’ transportation to another nearby government facility.
Responding to the incident, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) expressed deep concern and condemned the attack on the vulnerable refugee families, a majority of whom are women and children. The UNHCR called for enhanced measures to safeguard the refugees, stating, “The mob broke a police cordon and forcibly put 137 refugees on two trucks, and moved them to another location in Banda Aceh. The incident has left refugees shocked and traumatized.” The UN agency also highlighted that this attack was the outcome of a coordinated online campaign spreading misinformation and hate speech.
While many residents of Aceh, who have experienced decades of violent conflict themselves, have shown sympathy towards their fellow Muslims, some individuals have claimed that their patience has been tested. They argue that the Rohingya refugees consume limited resources and occasionally clash with the local population. One student, Kholilullah, aged 23, expressed his perspective, stating, “We protested because we don’t agree with the Rohingyas who keep coming here,” in an interview with AFP.
Menurut ane, ya sekali lagi ane mahasiswa Aceh sudah benar, karena masyarakat kita masih banyak yang perlu dibantu. Kalau sudah semua baru warga Rohingya. pic.twitter.com/5JKpniMucW
— 45 menit (@LokalPendaki) December 27, 2023
President Joko Widodo of Indonesia has attributed the recent surge in Rohingya arrivals to human trafficking and has pledged to collaborate with international organizations to provide temporary shelter for the refugees. It is important to note that Indonesia is not a signatory to the UN refugee convention and has maintained its stance of not being obliged to accept refugees from Myanmar. Instead, the country has called upon neighboring nations to share the responsibility and assist in resettling Rohingya individuals who arrive on Indonesian shores.
Mahasiswa di Banda Aceh memaksa membubarkan pengungsi Rohingya yg kebanyakan perempuan & anak-anak. Sampai ketakutan. Barbar!
Apa bedanya kalian dg kelompok beringas tak berpendidikan? Almamater kalian itu simbol pendidikan tinggi. Tapi mental kalian biadab. pic.twitter.com/1cY4Yof3ac
— Herriy Cahyadi (@herricahyadi) December 27, 2023
