No Longer Serious About The Fate Of Refugees, MUI Asks UHCR Not To Bother Urging This To Indonesia

Illustration-(Photo: DOK ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) for Foreign Relations and International Cooperation, Sudarnoto Abdul Hakim, urged the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to immediately resolve the problems of refugees who have long been adrift in Indonesia.

For Sudarnoto, UNHCR's insistence on the Indonesian government to pay attention to the refugees so far is actually unnecessary because it seems that the government does not care about humanitarian issues.

"What UNHCR must do right now is to immediately resolve the Afghan refugees who have been adrift in Indonesia for a long time," said Sudarnoto Abdul Hakim in a written statement received in Jakarta, Antara, Thursday, December 30.

The main problem that has not been resolved by UNHCR is leaving the refugees already in Indonesia in uncertainty. In fact, every refugee has the right to a normal life. The basic rights of refugees must be fulfilled immediately by immediately sending them to countries that provide political asylum.

"Allowing refugees to linger in uncertainty is the same as letting their rights to live and their dignity be violated. And this is the same as slowly killing them, killing their hopes and their future," he said.

As long as UNHCR does not show seriousness in resolving these refugees. Meanwhile, new waves of refugees entering Indonesian waters, including the Rohingya, continue to arrive.

"There is a strong impression that UNHCR has been very slow in resolving the issue of Afghan refugees. And now, Indonesia is being asked to accept the burden of its Rohingya refugees. UNHCR should not burden the Indonesian government and nation by pressing for the Indonesian government to immediately accept Rohingya refugees," said Sudarnoto.

This is an unethical attitude, he continued, especially since it is clear that UNHCR has left Afghan refugees in a state of misery in Indonesia. The government will provide assistance through humanitarian programs, especially for refugees.

"The Indonesian people's commitment to humanity has never been doubted and has been shown to handle various humanitarian issues," he stressed.

The Afghan refugees, he continued, were temporarily accommodated in several parts of Indonesia. And while in this shelter, the Indonesian people treat them well and provide assistance for various needs of daily life.

“Nevertheless, UNHCR must also show a responsible and professional attitude in the eyes of the Indonesian people. Don't let go, this is unethical to burden Indonesia," he said.

Sudarnoto said UNHCR must succeed in convincing political asylum-giving countries to immediately open up and accept refugees. This is a productive step and can be a common solution for UNHCR, Indonesia, countries providing political asylum and refugees.

“The impasse has been at UNHCR and this must be broken immediately. Therefore, diplomatic talks must be carried out more intensively and with certainty so that in the near future there will be measurable concrete steps for the settlement of the refugee issue," he said.