Handling The Wave Of Rohingya Refugees In Aceh, Jokowi Ensures Coordination With International Organizations

JAKARTA - President Jokowi ensured that the government would continue to coordinate with international organizations to handle the wave of Rohingya refugees in Aceh.

"The government will continue to coordinate with international organizations to deal with this problem," Jokowi said as quoted from a statement via the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube, Friday, December 8.

President Jokowi ensured that the supply of temporary assistance for Rohingya refugees in Aceh province. But Jokowi emphasized that the interests of local residents remain prioritized.

"Temporary humanitarian assistance to refugees will be provided by prioritizing the interests of the local community," said Jokowi

In addition, President Jokowi suspects that there is involvement in the trafficking crime network (TPPO) in the flow of Rohingya refugees entering Indonesian territory in Aceh province.

"I received reports about Rohingya refugees increasingly entering Indonesian territory, especially Aceh province. There is a strong suspicion that there is involvement in the TIP network in this refugee flow," said Jokowi.

Jokowi emphasized that the government will take action against the perpetrators of the TIP who brought Rohingya refugees to Aceh. In recent times, a wave of Rohingya refugees has continued to enter Aceh by water.

"The Indonesian government will take firm action against TIP players," said Jokowi.

Previously reported, the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Menlu) Retno Marsudi to coordinate with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) regarding the fate of Rohingya refugees.

"The Minister of Foreign Affairs will contact UNHCR in the not too distant future," he said when met after holding a meeting to discuss Rohingya refugees at the office of the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Jakarta, reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, December 6.

According to Mahfud, Indonesia did not sign the United Nations (UNHCR) convention on Refugees so it was not tied to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Therefore, assistance to Rohingya immigrants was carried out by Indonesia on humanitarian grounds.

With the coordination carried out by Retno, Mahfud hopes that UNHCR can move quickly in dealing with Rohingya refugees who are starting to explode.