Jokowi: Rohingya Refugees While We Accommodate

Immigration officers together with UNHCR officers recorded Rohingya immigrants stranded on the coast of Lamreh, Aceh Besar District, Aceh Province, Sunday (10/12/2023). (ANTARA PHOTO/Irwansyah Putra/nym)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo said the government accommodated temporary Rohingya refugees who entered Indonesian territory.

"I say that we will temporarily accommodate it," he said in response to questions about the issue of handling Rohingya refugees in Indonesia after inaugurating the Ancol Sentiong Pump Station in Jakarta as reported by ANTARA, Monday, December 11.

According to the President, the Indonesian government is still discussing the solution to the problem of handling Rohingya refugees with relevant international organizations, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee Affairs (UNHCR).

Discussions on the handling of Rohingya refugees include social problems that arise in communities in areas visited by Rohingya refugees such as Aceh, Riau, and Medan.

"We are still talking with international organizations, UNHCR and others, because the local community does not want it," said the President.

In his statement, UNHCR said that during 2022 there were 3,705 Rohingya people traveling by sea, the largest number since 2015.

Meanwhile, the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs reported that until last week there were 1,487 ethnic minority refugees from Myanmar in Indonesian territory.

The President previously submitted a report regarding an increase in the number of Rohingya refugees entering Indonesian territory and the alleged involvement of the criminal act of trafficking in people.