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Rohingya refugee influx raises concern for conflict
Experts have urged better government communication and diplomatic efforts to cool simmering tensions among local communities over the recent arrival in Aceh of Rohingya refugees, a predominantly Muslim minority ethnic group fleeing state-sanctioned discrimination in Myanmar.
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A crowd forms on Jan. 29, 2025, as authorities order around 75 Rohingya refugees to stay aboard their vessel after landing at Leuge Beach in East Aceh regency, Aceh. (AFP/Cek Mad)
T
he recent influx of Rohingya refugees to Aceh has raised concern over potential conflicts with residents as temporary shelters across the province show signs of overcrowding, prompting observers to urge government action to protect the rights of both parties in line with international laws.
Amid the ongoing civil war in Myanmar, more Rohingya people are fleeing to other countries including Indonesia, where the majority arrive by boat in the westernmost province.
Aceh recorded in January the arrival of around 300 refugees, who were transported to temporary shelters that house Rohingya across Aceh, North Sumatra and Riau. This increased their combined total to over 1,500 refugees, according to data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The UN refugee body takes charge of Rohingya who arrive in Indonesia, accommodating their needs like food and clothing while coordinating with local authorities on finding areas to set up shelters.
“It becomes critical for the refugees to be sheltered at a formal and proper site that would allow UNHCR and partners to provide them with the much-needed assistance,” UNHCR Indonesia spokesperson Mitra Salima Suryono told The Jakarta Post on Friday.
“But sometimes it takes time to find suitable sites while some sites are also overcrowded.”
Indonesia serves as a temporary transit country before Rohingya refugees depart to seek permanent asylum residency elsewhere. Their transit here is often prolonged however, due to limited opportunities for permanent resettlement in other countries.
