Indonesia’s Aceh province witnesses hundreds of students storming a temporary shelter for Rohingya refugees, urging deportation.
In a disturbing episode of discrimination against Myanmar’s persecuted Rohingya minority, university students in Indonesia’s Aceh province demanded the deportation of more than 100 Rohingya refugees from a convention centre in Banda Aceh. This incident follows the recent arrival of over 1,500 Rohingya refugees on Aceh’s shores since mid-November, marking the largest influx in eight years, as noted by the United Nations.
The protesters, identified as students from various universities, entered the convention centre’s basement, chanting slogans such as “Kick them out” and “Reject Rohingya in Aceh.” Videos depicted students kicking belongings of Rohingya individuals, including men, women, and children who were visibly distressed.
The Rohingya refugees were subsequently escorted out of the convention centre, carrying their possessions in plastic sacks, and were taken to trucks. During the incident, protesters burned tyres and clashed with police, who eventually permitted the removal of refugees by the students. The police assisted the refugees in boarding trucks before transporting them to another government office nearby.
Expressing deep concern, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) released a statement condemning the attack on vulnerable refugee families, emphasizing the majority were children and women. The agency called for improved protection and highlighted the incident’s traumatic impact on the refugees.
The UNHCR noted that the attack resulted from a coordinated online campaign of misinformation and hate speech. While some people in Aceh have shown sympathy towards the Rohingya, citing memories of past conflicts, others expressed impatience, claiming the Rohingya strain local resources and occasionally clash with residents.
University student Kholilullah, 23, stated, “We protested because we don’t agree with the Rohingyas who keep coming here.” Indonesian President Joko Widodo attributed the surge in Rohingya arrivals to human trafficking and pledged to collaborate with international organizations to provide temporary shelter. Indonesia, not a signatory to the UN refugee convention, called on neighboring countries to share the burden and resettle Rohingya refugees arriving on its shores.
