Aceh, Indonesia โ A rickety wooden boat carrying more than 100 Rohingya refugees, mostly women and children, landed in Indonesiaโs Aceh province on Wednesday, January 29, as the region continues to receive those fleeing persecution and political unrest in Myanmar.
According to local police chief Nova Suryandaru, the boatโs engine had broken down and ran aground near Pereulak village in East Aceh district. Authorities are currently gathering information about the identities of the refugees.
One refugee reportedly told authorities that the boat had departed from Coxโs Bazar, Bangladesh, with hopes of reaching Malaysia. However, Suryandaru stated that many suspect human traffickers intentionally damaged the vessel to prevent the refugees from being pushed back to sea.
Indonesia has witnessed a surge in Rohingya arrivals over the past few years, which the government attributes to increased human trafficking activities. The authorities have vowed to take โfirm actionโ against those responsible for trafficking the refugees.
In the past year alone, over 600 Rohingya refugees have landed in East Aceh, including more than 260 who arrived earlier this month in a desperate state, suffering from hunger and exhaustion.
Ro Nay San Lwin, co-founder of the Free Rohingya Coalition, expressed gratitude to the people of Aceh, local authorities, and the Indonesian government for their humanitarian response.
โWe thank the people of Aceh, the authorities, and the Indonesian government for allowing Rohingya genocide survivors to land and for providing food and shelter,โ he said.
As Rohingya refugees continue to seek safety from persecution and deteriorating conditions in refugee camps, concerns over human trafficking and the urgent need for regional solutions remain critical.
Rohingya Vision News