Police Secure 17 Rohingya Refugees In Dumai Riau

The Commander of KP Hayabusa-308 Baharkam Polri Iptu Andi Yasser at the Dumai Immigration Office, Wednesday afternoon (3/1/2023). ANTARA/Abdul Razak

DUMAI - The police have arrested 17 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar who entered Dumai City, Riau. They are placed in the detention room of the Dumai Immigration office.

11 Rohingya refugees were initially secured by the Medang Kampai Dumai Sector Police in two different locations in Pelintung Village, Medang Kampai District, Tuesday (2/1/24).

Five more people were secured by the Hayabusa-3008 Patrol Vessel Ditpolair Korpolairud Baharkam Polri, still around Pelintung, Medang Kampa Subdistrict, on Tuesday (2/1) afternoon.

Following another person from the Medang Kampasi Police, he returned to Dumai Immigration, Wednesday, January 3 afternoon.

KP Commander Hayabusa-308 Inspector One Andi Yasser in Dumai, Wednesday said the five Rohingya residents before being arrested had been chased by Avansa and Calya transport cars on the Dumai-Sei Pakning Cross Road.

Information on the presence of these foreigners was obtained from the public, and members of the Hayabusa KP finally found them on the side of the road after being taken down randomly by a transportation car

"The driver of the car that the Rohingya refugee was traveling in managed to escape, and then we handed it over to the Dumai Immigration office," said IPTU Andi Yasser.

He explained that the initial information was received that the 5 Rohingya refugees departed from the Bangladesh Camp in Aceh Province to Pekanbaru, and continued their journey to Dumai by land with the aim of going to Malaysia.

"We are still hunting for the car driver who brought the Rohingya residents into Dumai. Then we will hand them over to Immigration for further processing," said Andi.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Intelligence Sub-Section of the Dumai Immigration Office, Ryanda Pratama, explained that his party again received the delegation of 5 Rohingya residents who were secured by KP Hayabusa-308 and an additional one from the Medang Kampai Police, Wednesday afternoon.

The total number of Rohingya foreign nationals currently occupying the Dumai Immigration detention room is 17 people.

Before entering the detention room, dozens of foreigners had been subjected to a health check. Next, they will coordinate with UNHCR and Riau Immigration Regional Office.

"We have to invite translators because none of the Rohingya residents can speak Indonesian. After being examined, the health condition is quite good, including a girl under five years old," said Ryanda.