Episode: KPN 23-12-2023

Rohingya refugee surge putting pressure on Indonesia

Rohingya Muslims fleeing Myanmar continue to face a life of rejection and hardship. This is no less true for those seeking safety in the westernmost province of Indonesia which has recently seen a surge in numbers.

More than 1,500 Rohingya refugees have arrived in Aceh province by boat since last month.

They are among the hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas who have fled their country to escape a military crackdown since 2017. Most of them are living in Bangladesh where, in a bid to escape the poor living conditions, some have been taking to fragile boats in the hope of getting to other counties such as Malaysia and Indonesia.

A local resident says he saw a boat carrying Rohingyas land on the beach earlier in the week. He says there were many children, boys and girls, pregnant women and elderly on board.

The Muslim community in Ache has been accepting Rohingya refugees over the years. But the surge this year has sparked tensions among local residents who are worried that the new arrivals could destabilize the community.

A local resident says that they have been shouldering the burden of taking care of the Rohingyas and that their presence is difficult for many people. Another woman says that they can’t help other people, because they don’t have enough money or food for themselves.

Aceh police recently arrested the skipper of a boat, himself a refugee, for alleged human trafficking. He was caught ferrying refugees who paid up to 1,000 US dollars per person to get a seat onboard.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo suspects human trafficking syndicates may be behind the surge in arrivals of Rohingya refugees.

Joko says that the Indonesian government will take firm action against the perpetrators of human trafficking. He says that temporary humanitarian assistance for refugees will be provided by prioritizing the interests of local communities.

For the time being, the refugees have no choice but to wait for the international community to step forward to help resolve their plight.

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