When over 1,000 Muslims from Rohingya arrive in Indonesia, they face humanitarian difficulties

In the past six days, some 1,000 Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar have arrived in Aceh, the northernmost province of Indonesia, by boat, according to authorities on Monday.

Five groups including women and children were adrift for many days. Human rights organizations expressed alarm when locals of Aceh Utara district again refused landing to a group of more than 240 individuals. On Sunday morning, the group eventually disembarked in the Bireuen region.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees said in a statement, “We thank the authorities and local communities who have received and granted landing permits for them and in the future we hope that this spirit of solidarity and humanity will continue to be extended to refugees who need assistance and protection.”

The migrants had a harrowing sea voyage before reaching Aceh. The majority of them departed from camps for refugees in Bangladesh, from where over 700,000 had escaped during an army crackdown in Myanmar in August 2017.

Thousands of Rohingya houses have been set on fire, and security forces in Myanmar are allegedly responsible for horrific rapes and deaths.

The majority of the migrants have made attempts to get to Malaysia, although many have instead found themselves in Indonesia.

Usman Hamid, executive director of Amnesty International Indonesia, said that “the thwarted landing of hundreds of Rohingya refugees is a big step back for Indonesia, where communities have previously shown generosity and humanity towards those seeking safety after perilous boat journeys.”

According to Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the country is not bound by the 1951 Refugee Convention and is neither able or willing to accept refugees.

“Hospital accommodations have only been offered for humanitarian purposes. The ministry’s spokeswoman, Lalu Muhamad Iqbal, said in a statement that “ironically, many countries party to the convention actually closed their doors and even implemented a pushback policy toward the refugees.”

He said that people-smugglers, who are only concerned with their own financial gain and have little regard for the hazards that refugees, particularly vulnerable populations like women and children, face, have taken full advantage of Indonesia’s generosity in offering temporary sanctuary.