Task Force: 67 Rohingya Immigrants Escape From Lhokseumawe BLK

BANDA ACEH - The Task Force for Handling Rohingya Refugees in Lhokseumawe City, Aceh, stated that as many as 67 Rohingya immigrants who have been accommodated at the Work Training Center (BLK) of Lhokseumawe City since December 31, 2021, fled.

A spokesperson for the Task Force for Handling Rohingya Refugees in Lhokseumawe City, Marzuki, said that 38 Rohingya immigrants still live in the shelter.

"Of the 105 Rohingya immigrants who were landed and accommodated at the Lhokseumawe BLK on December 31, 2021, there are 38 remaining. A total of 67 others have fled or fled," said Marzuki, quoted by Antara, Tuesday, February 15.

He said the fleeing Rohingya immigrants were predominantly women. The immigrants who fled the average age of adolescence to adulthood.

"They fled by taking advantage of the carelessness of the guard when it was raining and the lights went out. They fled by destroying the back fence of the Lhokseumawe BLK," said Marzuki.

Apart from the 38 people, said Marzuki, there were three other Rohingya immigrants who came to look for their relatives who were being accommodated in the Lhokseumawe BLK. They were previously accommodated outside Aceh.

Marzuki urged the United Nations agency dealing with transnational refugees, UNHCR, to immediately transfer the refugees to Medan City, North Sumatra, to avoid increasing immigrants fleeing.

"The Lhokseumawe City Government basically accepts refugees. However, it would be better if these Rohingya refugees were immediately transferred to permanent shelters in Medan," said Marzuki.