The government is working with civil society groups as well as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to ensure the well-being of a large group rescued by local fishermen, the Foreign Ministry has said.

“The government and the local administration [of Aceh], in collaboration with the UNHCR and IOM, will immediately make further efforts to handle these 99 Rohingya migrants. The people of North Aceh and Indonesian civil society groups are also actively providing humanitarian assistance,” the ministry said in a statement on Friday evening.

Officials described Wednesday’s rescue as a decision based on “humanitarian principles” and that the refugees were in a “very poor, emergency and life-threatening situation” in the waters off North Aceh.

But now the main focus was to provide them with basic needs, temporary shelter and the necessary health services that ensure they follow health protocols to prevent COVID-19 transmission among the Rohingya migrants, the Foreign Ministry said.

Indonesia’s statement comes amid concerns that local authorities were mulling over whether to send the refugees out to sea after their boat are repaired.

However, the move has received praise from activists and Rohingya advocacy groups, such as the Arakan Rohingya National Organization, which expressed its gratitude to the government and people of Indonesia “for their generous efforts” to rescue Rohingya refugees in distress.

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