In a stern statement released today, Human Rights Watch (HRW) demands that Indonesian authorities cease all pushbacks of boats carrying ethnic Rohingya refugees immediately. The organization further calls for a thorough investigation into and an end to all assaults on refugees, urging the government to permit their disembarkation in the nearest safe port.

Recent incidents, including a violent episode on December 27, 2023, where over 100 students assaulted Rohingya refugees in Banda Aceh, prompt HRW's urgent appeal. The refugees, predominantly women and children, faced verbal and physical attacks, subsequently being forced onto trucks and taken to a government immigration office. The students demanded their deportation, reflecting a disturbing trend of anti-Rohingya sentiments.

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Student protesters stormed a facility housing Rohingya refugees, demanding their deportationImage: picture alliance / ASSOCIATED PRESS

Phil Robertson, Deputy Asia Director at HRW, asserts, "The Indonesian government should ensure that Rohingya boat refugees are immediately brought ashore and protected, not pushed back to die at sea, or be attacked by anti-Rohingya mobs." The call for action emphasizes the need for an inquiry into online incitement of violence against Rohingya arrivals.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports that since November, 11 Rohingya boats have landed in Indonesia, with over 1,700 refugees, mainly women and children, relocating to Aceh and North Sumatra. The plight of Rohingya refugees is exacerbated by online campaigns spreading misinformation and hate speech, putting their safety at risk.

HRW highlights the urgency for Indonesian authorities to investigate and take appropriate action against those responsible for incitement. The organization condemns the pushback of a Rohingya boat by the Indonesian navy on December 28, emphasizing that it contravenes search-and-rescue obligations and international legal commitments to asylum seekers.

The broader context reveals a regional crisis as Rohingya refugees attempt perilous sea journeys due to desperation in Bangladeshi camps and ongoing oppression in Myanmar. HRW urges Southeast Asian governments, including Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, to collaborate on coordinated search-and-rescue operations and fair asylum procedures.

As the situation unfolds, HRW emphasizes the need for Indonesia to maintain its humanitarian reputation and avoid contributing to the regional pattern of pushing back Rohingya boats, ensuring a safe and dignified resolution for these desperate refugees.

 

BOB Post