Residents Block Roads To Rohingya Immigrant Shelters

Cars transporting clean water for Rohingya immigrants were forced to stop after residents blocked the road to a shelter location in Kuala Parek, East Aceh, Tuesday (16/4/2024). BETWEEN/HO-Doc Residents

EAST ACEH - Residents of Seuneubok Rawang Village, East Peureulak District, East Aceh Regency, blocked or closed roads to the Rohingya ethnic immigrant shelter in Kuala Parek, Sungai Raya District, East Aceh Regency.

Muzakir, a resident of Seuneubok Rawang in East Aceh, Tuesday, said the road closure to Kuala Parek was triggered by damage to roads and bridges in the village.

"Various types of vehicles to Kuala Parek crossing Jalan Seuneubok Rawang. As a result, roads and bridges were damaged, making it difficult for the community to cross. The road is heading to the Rohingya ethnic immigrant shelter," Muzakir said as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, April 16.

Muzakir said that so far there have been many logistics transport vehicles and cars that have an interest in the Rohingya ethnic immigrant shelter in Kuala Parek.

According to Muzakir, damage is not only damage to roads in residential areas. However, the road along the peat, crab, and shrimp ponds is due to the traffic of vehicles to the Rohingya ethnic immigrants shelter.

"The road is still on land. If it is hot, the road is dusty. Residents whose houses along the road are forced to breathe dust when logistics transport vehicles and cars have an interest in the Rohingya ethnic immigrant shelter in Kuala Parek," he said.

The impact of road closures to Kuala Parek, two units of clean water transport cars cannot be passed, so water for the needs of toilet washing (MCK) for Rohingya immigrants.

However, after coordinating, the closure was finally temporarily opened. After the two cars finished transporting water to the Rohingya ethnic shelter, residents again blocked it.

Furthermore, the mobilization of immigrant consumption in Kuala Parek uses two-wheeled vehicles, so that it does not cause the road to be damaged, said Muzakir.

"In addition to road damage, one of the bridges has also been damaged since a month ago. So far, no party has felt responsible for the damage to the road," said Muzakir.

The village head of Kuala Parek Syahrial Abdullah said the blocked or closed road was a private road. The road was previously used as an alternative road to the Rohingya immigrant shelter because there was a damaged bridge, so it could not be passed.

"The blocked road is a private road. The road that has been passed so far is to bring aid to Rohingya immigrants cannot be passed because a bridge is damaged, so an alternative road is used. However, the road is a private road, so it is natural for anyone to object and be closed," he said.

Meanwhile, East Pereulak Sub-district Head Taharuddin said that currently the main access road to Rohingya immigrants shelters could be passed after damage to the bridge was repaired.

"Currently, the repair of the bridge has been completed, so that road access has returned to normal and logistics distribution for Rohingya immigrants is not hampered," said Saharuddin.

Previously, the 137 immigrants landed at Kuala Parek Beach, Sungai Raya, East Aceh Regency, Thursday (1/2) at around 04.00 WIB. They consist of 40 adult boys, 47 adult women, 23 girls and 27 boys.

The hundreds of immigrants left Cox s Bazar, a refugee location in Bangladesh, by riding a wooden boat since December 5, 2023. After floating 55 days at sea, the 137 immigrants finally landed at Kuala Parek Beach.