Dozens of Rohingya refugees who were rescued after their boat capsized off Indonesia’s westernmost coast last week have been forced from their temporary shelter due to local protests in Aceh province. The Rohingya refugees, who are heavily persecuted in Myanmar, often embark on dangerous sea journeys to try to reach Malaysia or Indonesia. The survivors of the capsizing were taken to the local government chief’s office in West Aceh, but were later moved to the backyard of the office due to protests from locals.
Last Thursday, authorities rescued 69 Rohingya refugees who were found clinging to the hull of their overturned vessel for over a day. Six others were rescued by fishermen a day earlier. Despite rescuers finding at least 11 Rohingya dead at sea, some survivors claimed that over 150 people had been aboard the capsized boat. The survivors were initially given shelter in an old Red Cross building in West Aceh, but were forced to move after locals stormed the facility on Tuesday demanding their eviction.
Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry spokesman stated that Jakarta had provided the Rohingya refugees with temporary shelter for humanitarian reasons, but the UN and nations signed to the UN Refugee Convention were responsible for offering permanent shelter. Indonesia is not a signatory to the convention, and from mid-November to late January, 1,752 Rohingya refugees arrived on Indonesian shores, marking the biggest influx since 2015. Some Aceh locals have protested against the arrival of Rohingya refugees, with incidents of locals storming shelters demanding the refugees be relocated.
In December, hundreds of students in Aceh forced the relocation of over a hundred Rohingya refugees by storming the function hall where they were being sheltered. In another incident on Aceh’s Sabang island, police had to intervene to prevent locals from storming a Rohingya shelter. While many Acehnese are sympathetic to the plight of the Rohingya as fellow Muslims, others have accused the refugees of anti-social behavior. The influx of Rohingya refugees has sparked anger in Aceh province, with locals expressing frustration at the situation.
