Oct 25, V7N- In a humanitarian rescue effort, over 150 Rohingya refugees, including women and children, were brought ashore in Indonesia’s South Aceh district on Thursday after being stranded at sea for days. The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) expressed gratitude to local authorities for their help in allowing the refugees to disembark safely. Many of the Rohingya on board were victims of human trafficking, according to UNHCR spokesperson Faisal Rahman, and humanitarian agencies are now working to provide them with essential support.

The Rohingya, a predominantly Muslim ethnic group facing severe persecution in Myanmar, often embark on perilous sea journeys hoping to reach countries like Malaysia or Indonesia. As the seasonal seas calm, more refugees make the journey; just recently, another group of 140 Rohingya refugees arrived in Indonesia’s North Sumatra province.

While Indonesia, not a signatory to the UN refugee convention, resists the expectation of hosting refugees, communities in Aceh show both empathy and frustration. Many Acehnese, who remember their own struggles with conflict, sympathize with the Rohingya as fellow Muslims. However, resource strain and occasional tensions with locals have tested patience in some areas. In December 2023, local students forcibly relocated over 100 Rohingya refugees sheltering in a community hall in Aceh, highlighting the complex dynamics surrounding refugee resettlement in the region.

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