Four Rohingya Immigrants Escape From Shelter Camp

Rohingya refugees waiting on a boat during the evacuation process by the Indonesian Navy to the ASEAN Port, Krueng Geukuh, North Aceh, Aceh/Antara

BANDA ACEH - The Task Force for Handling Rohingya Refugees in Lhokseumawe City stated that four Rohingya immigrants fled the refugee camp at the Job Training Center (BLK) in Lhokseumawe City.

Spokesperson for the Lhokseumawe City Rohingya Refugee Task Force (Satgas) in Lhokseumawe, Aceh, Wednesday, said four Rohingya refugees fled on Sunday, February 30.

"With the escape of the four people, 12 Rohingya immigrants from 105 people who are accommodated in the BLK Meunasah Mee Kandang Village, Muara Dua District, Lhokseumawe City, have fled," said Marzuki.

Marzuki said the four fleeing Rohingya immigrants were all women. They are Solika (17), Ismat Ara (15), Kowser Bibi (21), and Noor Kayes (21).

The four immigrants, said Marzuki, fled by breaking the fence behind the refugee camp. They are known not to be in the camp during the routine data collection in the morning.

Marzuki said the Lhokseumawe City Government asked UNHCR to immediately transfer the Rohingya immigrants to a permanent shelter in North Sumatra.

"The request for the transfer was made to anticipate the existence of a criminal act of trafficking in persons involving Indonesian citizens," said Marzuki.

The escape of Rohingya immigrants from the shelter camp in Lhokseumawe City BLK also occurred on Tuesday (18/1).

All the immigrants who fled were women. The eight Rohingya immigrants who fled were Asma (15), Kismut (12), Khaleda Bibi (22), Mosona Begum (18), Noor Safa (18), Noor Kayas (24), Samira ( 18), and Haresa (24).

Previously, the 105 Rohingya immigrants were evacuated to mainland Aceh after they were adrift in the Malacca Strait using a Navy ship at the end of December 2021.

When they landed, the refugees, the majority of whom were women and children, were weak and cold, due to the rain. After disembarking from the ship, they immediately followed a series of health checks including a COVID-19 test.

Then, the hundreds of Rohingya immigrants were accommodated at the Lhokseumawe City Job Training Center in Meunasah Mee Kandang Village, Muara Dua District.