Coordinating Minister For Political, Legal And Security Affairs To Foreign Minister Holds Meetings Regarding Rohingya Refugees

Illustration - A number of Rohingya immigrants who were moved from Ujong Kareung Sabang Beach were waiting for data collection upon arrival at a temporary shelter in Lhokseumawe, Aceh, Thursday (23/11/2023) (ANTARA PHOTO/Rahmad)

JAKARTA - Members of state officials attended a meeting to discuss Rohingya refugees which was held at the office of the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Kemenko Polhukam) holding a meeting with ministers and related officials, discussing the issue of Rohingya refugees.

Reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, December 6, several new officials were seen attending from 13.00 WIB.

Some of them, namely Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, were observed to be present at 13.24 WIB, Head of the Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla) Vice Admiral TNI Irvansyah who came about 20 minutes before Retno.

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD himself was seen attending on a tight guard at 13.37 WIB. He came in front of the Kemenkopolhukam Office and immediately entered the building.

The meeting was held behind closed doors so that it could not be monitored directly by the media crew.

Previously, Mahfud MD said the government was looking for a way out to overcome the problems of Rohingya refugees entering Indonesia through Aceh Province.

"The number is now 1,478 people (Rohingya refugees). And the local people, Acehnese, North Sumatra, and Riau have continued to object, (because) 'We are also poor, why this continues to be accommodated but is free'. Well, we are looking for a way out of this," Mahfud said when met by reporters in Jakarta, Tuesday (5/12) night.

Mahfud said that his party will also seek to handle domestic and humanitarian needs so that they can be carried out properly.

He reiterated that Indonesia did not sign the United Nations (UNHCR) convention on Refugees so that it was not bound by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Therefore, assistance to Rohingya immigrants was carried out by Indonesia on humanitarian grounds.

Mahfud said neighboring countries, such as Malaysia and Australia, could no longer accept Rohingya refugees. The refugees, added Mahfud, initially made Indonesia a transit point. However, Indonesia has been used as a destination for evacuation for a long time.

"They ran to Indonesia. It means they want to transit, but have been a place of refuge for a long time, not a transit. Because they usually want to transit to Australia. But he (Rohingya refugees) stopped in Indonesia and didn't want to go out again," said Mahfud.

Previously, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) had ordered the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud Md to deal with the problem of Rohingya refugees entering Indonesian territory by involving local governments and UNHCR.

Meanwhile, the Aceh Provincial Government has also coordinated with UNHCR regarding the handling of Rohingya immigrants who landed on Weh Island, Sabang City. The Aceh Provincial Government together with the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs and the Ministry of Law and Human Rights also coordinated to find solutions for handling Rohingya immigrants who were accommodated in several places in Aceh.