UNHCR: Rohingya Shelter Efforts To Be Separated One Location In Aceh

Rohingya refugees are in the basement of Balai Meseuraya Aceh (BMA) in Banda Aceh, Tuesday (12/12/2023). (ANTARA/Khalis Surry)

BANDA ACEH - The United Nations' High Commissioner for Refugee Affairs or theUnited Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) seeks to place all Rohingyadi Aceh refugees in one shelter to facilitate handling.

UNHCR Indonesia Protection Associate Faisal Rahman said the option arose when UNHCR held a coordination meeting regarding the handling of Rohingya with Acting Governor Aceh Achmad Marzuki and a number of regents/mayors who accommodate the Rohingya ethnicity.

"There are several options conveyed by the governor's Acting. Now we are trying to find a place. So one of them is looking at the land in Aceh Tamiang and Gayo Lues. But this is only a temporary option, we need to see first what it looks like," said Faisal as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, December 12.

For this option, he said, UNHCR and IOM were asked to check the place, as well as prepare all needs, if the location allowed to accommodate Rohingyadi Aceh refugees.

"Until today, if we count from the landing, the number of Rohingya in Aceh is around 1,600," he said.

The discourse to place the Rohingya in one location is a shared spirit between the local government and UNCHR to minimize the distribution of Rohingya shelter points in Aceh so that it is central so that handling is easier.

Currently, he continued, the Rohingya refugees are scattered in several areas such as Sabang City, Banda Aceh City, Lhokseumawe City, Pidie Regency, and Bireuen Regency.

If there is a distribution, not as much as now, at least one or two may still make it easier. The hope is that it is one place. This is being worked on through communication with the relevant government," he said.