Around 140 weak and hungry Rohingya Muslims, mostly women and children, remain stranded on a wooden boat about a mile off the coast of Indonesia’s northernmost province of Aceh, officials said on Tuesday. Local residents, concerned over potential unrest, are refusing to allow the refugees to come ashore.

The blue-painted boat has been drifting off the coast since Friday, having left Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, nearly two weeks ago. According to local police, three passengers died during the perilous journey to Labuhan Haji waters in South Aceh district.

Eleven Rohingya refugees have been transferred to a government hospital since Sunday after their health deteriorated, authorities confirmed.

“Our fishing community is against letting them land due to past incidents where Rohingya arrivals caused unrest,” said Muhammad Jabal, leader of the South Aceh fishing community. A large banner at the seaport reinforced this stance, reading, “The people of South Aceh Regency reject the arrival of Rohingya refugees.”

The group left Bangladesh on October 9, aiming to reach Malaysia, according to Aceh police reports. Some of the passengers reportedly paid smugglers for passage to other countries. Indonesian authorities have since arrested three suspects on suspicion of human smuggling.

Approximately one million Rohingya Muslims live as refugees in Bangladesh, having fled persecution in Myanmar, including 740,000 who escaped the brutal 2017 military campaign. The Rohingya continue to face widespread discrimination and are denied citizenship in Myanmar.

While Indonesia, like Thailand and Malaysia, is not a signatory to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, it often provides temporary refuge to those in distress. In March, local officials and fishermen rescued 75 Rohingya after their boat capsized off Aceh, though 67 others tragically died in that incident.

The ongoing humanitarian crisis highlights the precarious situation for Rohingya refugees seeking safety.

BOB Post