[IMA STATEMENT] Uphold and Protect The Rights of Rohingya Refugees in Indonesia
IMA Statement on the recent attacks on Rohingya refugees in Indonesia
The International Migrants Alliance (IMA) condemns the unlawful, violent attack committed towards Rohingya refugees in the city of Banda Aceh, Indonesia.
On Wednesday, December 27, more than 100 students from various universities stormed a shelter which housed 137 Rohingya refugees including women and children, forced the refugees into trucks, took them to the office of Ministry of Law and Human Rights in Aceh, and demanded for the latter’s immediate deportation.
The IMA recognises this as a result of the ongoing, unjust persecution of the Rohingyas by the Myanmar government and the incompetence of the Indonesian Government to provide the protection the Rohingya refugees rightfully deserve. Not a signatory to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, the Indonesian government continues to evade the responsibility of accepting Rohingya refugees permanently, paying lip service to extending support as “an act of humanity” while enacting State police force to guard the country’s borders and waters against Rohingya refugees on boats. And amid the violence that Rohingya refugees experience, the Indonesian government has remained mum and not lifted a finger to provide immediate protection for the Rohingya refugees.
The Rohingya people have been persecuted endlessly by the Myanmar military junta, with their national identity and citizenship stripped off, their very human rights violated. The only recourse for them is to flee Myanmar for their lives and the safety of their family and children. This is similar to the painful experience of the Aceh people who have been caught in the conflict between the Aceh Independence Movement (GAM) and the Indonesian military between 1976 to 2005. Between 8,000 to 9,000 Acehnese fled to Malaysia in 2003 but were targeted with a crackdown, rounded up, and deported back by the Malaysian authorities to Indonesia amidst calls from various UN agencies and civil society to protect the rights of the Acehnese people and let them stay.
The IMA also expresses alarm over the continued silence and inaction of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to the plight of the Rohingya refugees. The recent incident in Aceh is but one of many cases of violence committed against Rohingya refugees and not only happening in Indonesia but in other parts of Southeast Asia.
The IMA calls on the Indonesian government to provide immediate support and protection for the Rohingya refugees in Aceh, put a halt on the ongoing hate campaign against the Rohingyas, and initiate a comprehensive program that will address the basic needs of Rohingya refugees such as shelter and food as well as facilitate the process for seeking asylum. Not being a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and protocol does not make the Indonesian government relieved of its duty to protect the Rohingya refugees or anyone for that matter from harm.
Furthermore, since the Rohingya refugees arrive by boat in extremely dangerous and inhumane conditions, Indonesia must also fulfill their obligation to save lives and distressed boats under the 1994 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which Indonesia is a signatory of.
We also call on ASEAN to take immediate action in providing adequate support and protection to all Rohingya refugees wherever they may be while proactively working on coming up with just, peaceful resolutions to address the ongoing Rohingya refugee crisis. Rohingya refugees are people with rights and dignity. They deserve to be treated with respect, protected from all forms of harm, and provided with their basic needs.
The IMA will actively follow up on the situation of Rohingya refugees in Indonesia as we continue to raise awareness among our members and friends on the Rohingya refugee crisis and how we can continue to extend solidarity and support to them. #
Reference: Eni Lestari, IMA Chairperson
