The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported the arrival of 200 Rohingya refugees overnight Tuesday-Wednesday to the far west of Indonesia, bringing the total number of arrivals to this country since last week to more than a thousand members of the persecuted minority in Burma. The Rohingya, most of whom are Muslims, are subjected to severe persecution in Burma, and thousands risk their lives every year on long and expensive sea journeys, often in rickety boats, in an attempt to reach Malaysia or Indonesia.
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About 200 refugees arrived from Rohingya On Tuesday-Wednesday night, they sailed to the far west of Indonesia, according to what the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reported, bringing the total number of arrivals to this country since last week to more than a thousand members of the persecuted minority in Burma.
The Rohingya, most of whom are Muslims, are subjected to severe persecution in Burma, and thousands risk their lives every year on long and expensive sea journeys, often in rickety boats, in an attempt to reach Malaysia or Indonesia.
Faisal Rahman, an official at the Refugee Protection Authority in coordination with the United Nations, said in a statement to the French news agency, “The mayor said that they were two hundred people. He informed us about their disembarkation from the boats. The team will head tomorrow early morning to Sabang,” referring to a city in the province. Aceh is located in the far west of Indonesia.
Residents said the number could be higher, with estimates indicating the arrival of about 360 migrants.
Last week, residents of Aceh repelled a number of boats coming from Bangladesh, noting that they do not have the resources to receive more migrants, whose journey at sea often takes several weeks.
Scenes and footage seen by Agence France-Presse showed the new arrivals sitting on a beach in Sabang instead of being transferred to a shelter center.
Rahman said that the UNHCR team is trying to get there as quickly as possible, to ensure that the arrivals receive the necessary care.
He pointed out that the agency asked Sabang Mayor Reza Fahlawi to find a safe shelter for the refugees.
He said: “The field situation currently is not good. The virus of rejection has spread among all people.”
He added: “There is a high possibility that residents will push them back into the sea, but we hope that does not happen.”
France 24/AFP
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2023-11-22 01:04:58
