East Aceh Regency Government Hands Over Handling 3 Rohingya Immigrants To UNHCR

Photo archive - Rohingya Immigrants at the Idi Sport Center (ISC), East Aceh. BETWEEN/Hayaturrahmah

The East Aceh Regency Government (Pemkab) immediately handed over the handling of three Rohingya immigrants who had been accommodated at the Idi Sport Center (ISC) to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

"Currently, we are still waiting for his decision. If the UNHCR has not yet taken the three Rohingya, then we will send them directly to them," said Head of Satpol PP and WH of East Aceh Regency, Teuku Amran, as reported by ANTARA, Thursday, April 18.

The three Rohingya immigrants in the ISC are the remaining 14 people after they fled by destroying the iron net fence of the sports building.

Teuku Amran said the Idi Sport Center for Rohingya immigrants shelters is a public facility that is often used by people to exercise.

In addition, the sports building will also be used for the Regional Student Sports Week (Popda) which will be held in July 2024, which will be attended by participants from 23 regencies and cities in Aceh Province.

"We ask UNHCR to immediately pick up the three Rohingya immigrants in the past one or two days. Moreover, this ISC is not suitable for shelters," said Teuku Amran.

Previously, there were 43 immigrants accommodated at the Idi Sport Center. Of the 43 immigrants, 17 of them were Rohingya and 26 others from Bangladesh.

They were unloaded from a ship in the coastal area in Seuneubok Baroh Village, Darul Aman District, East Aceh Regency, on December 14, 2023 at around 03.45 WIB.

Against Bangladeshi immigrants, the country's embassy has deported or repatriated them, leaving 17 Rohingya ethnic immigrants before 14 of them fled and now only three people remain in the ISC.