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UN migration agency says aid to Rohingya in Indonesia reinstated
Chief of mission, Jeff Labovitz, said there is no current planned reduction in services.
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People gather around a boat carrying newly-arrived Rohingya refugees after authorities prevented the refugees from disembarking and ordered them to remain on board the vessel at Leuge Beach in East Aceh regency, Aceh on Jan. 29, 2025. At least 75 Rohingya refugees arrived by boat at a beach in Aceh on Jan. 29, but were stopped by authorities from disembarking, according to local officials. (AFP/Cek Mad)
T
he United Nations' migration agency has reinstated its humanitarian assistance to Rohingya refugees in Indonesia, its chief of mission in Jakarta told Reuters on Tuesday.
Chief of mission, Jeff Labovitz, said there is no current planned reduction in services.
Some media outlets reported last week cited the agency as saying it would slash aid to hundreds of Rohingya sheltering in the city of Pekanbaru in Riau.
Thousands of Rohingya are languishing in Indonesia with legal uncertainty as nations refuse to take them in permanently, leaving them reliant on UN support for shelter and aid.
But a letter from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) dated February 28 said support was being cut off for nearly 1,000 Rohingya refugees in Pekanbaru, a city on the western island of Sumatra.
"Regrettably, due to resource constraints, IOM is unable to provide healthcare and cash assistance support for the 925 Rohingya refugees currently still staying in Pekanbaru," read the letter signed by the IOM's deputy chief of mission.
The freeze announced in January by the United States -- the IOM's biggest donor -- has impacted the UN's humanitarian response for Rohingya refugees, leaving funds desperately needed to maintain levels of assistance, a source familiar with the matter told AFP.
The IOM said in a statement to AFP that it was "complying with all legal orders" after the US funding pause, but said it was "impacting our staff, operations and the people we serve".
