Indonesia Seeks Ways to Address Issues of Rohingya Refugees in Aceh

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud Md said the government was still seeking a solution to issues of Rohingya refugees who have landed on the shores of Aceh Province.

“There are currently 1,478 refugees. And the locals, from Aceh, North Sumatra, and Riau, have objected to the addition. So we are looking for a way to solve it,” Mahfud said in Jakarta on Tuesday evening, Dec. 5, as quoted from Antara.

Mahfud stressed that Indonesia is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, which requires countries to protect refugees on their territory. However, the government would still provide assistance to the Rohingya refugees based on humanitarian grounds.

Mahfud also noted that neighboring countries, such as Malaysia and Australia, have stopped accepting Rohingya refugees. The refugees initially landed in Indonesia as a transit point, but over time, it became their destination.

“[Rohingya refugees] landed in Indonesia and refused to leave,” he said.

The Regional Leadership Communication Forum (Forkopimda) of Sabang City, Banda Aceh, called on the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to immediately relocate the Rohingyans in Sabang to shelters in other areas in light of the strong opposition from locals.

According to Forkopimda Sabang spokesperson Ady Akmal Shiddiq, the UNHCR claimed it was still coordinating the resettlement plan.

“In response to the locals’ objection to the presence of Rohingya refugees, we don't want things to get out of control, so UNHCR should immediately move them to a predetermined place,” Ady said on Monday, Dec. 5.

KUKUH S. WIBOWO

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