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Local fishermen suspect trafficking syndicate behind new Rohingya arrivals in Aceh
Local fishermen suspect that a human trafficking syndicate is behind the arrival of 114 Rohingya refugees on the coast of Pawang Derih hamlet in Jangka district, Bireuen regency, Aceh, early on Sunday.
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A boat carries Rohingya people stranded in Indonesian waters on Dec. 27, 2021. (Aditya Setiawan/via Reuters)
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ocal fishermen suspect that a human trafficking syndicate is behind the arrival of 114 Rohingya refugees on the coast of Pawang Derih hamlet in Jangka district, Bireuen regency, Aceh, early on Sunday.
Badruddin Yunus, the panglima laot (traditional fishing community chief), said none of the local fishermen had seen the Rohingya off the coast prior to their arrival on the beach.
“We are surprised by their arrival. They weren’t detected by the fishermen, and suddenly they arrived [on the beach] as if someone was guiding them,” Badruddin said.
Badruddin said the fishermen suspect a syndicate was behind refugee arrivals because they kept arriving in the same place.
Although the local residents were suspicious of their arrival, they still provided the refugees with food and water. Badruddin is calling the UN refugee agency to look into the peculiar pattern.
Jangka district chief, Alfian, said after their arrival at around 3 a.m. on Sunday, the Rohingya were taken to a local meunasah (house of worship and education). There were 58 men, 21 women and 35 children in the refugee group.
“Temporarily, they are under our care. The Bireuen regency administration through the social affairs agency has distributed aid to the refugees,” he said while visiting the Meunasah Alue Buya Pasie.
