IDNEWSNOW.COM, Jakarta – The Indonesian government decided to idnewsnowrarily accommodate Rohingya refugees currently adrift off the coast of Aceh in the Sumatra province. However, the Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Teuku Faizasyah on Thursday signalled that this move is a idnewsnowrary solution.
“During their stay in Indonesia, it will be the responsibility of the International Organizations for Migration (IOM),” said the spokesperson on December 30.
According to Faizasyah, the task force for the handling of international refugees will oversee the Rohingya refugees in Indonesia. This task force operates under the Coordinating Ministry for Politics, Law, and Security.
The reason why the government insists that this will be a idnewsnowrary solution is that Indonesia has not ratified the United Nations convention on immigration and this move is purely humanitarian. Reports suggest that 100 refugees are in a miserable state as their boat is currently leaking and with a broken engine.
The ministry’s deputy of foreign politics coordination Rina P. Soemarno was unable to confirm on how long the Rohingya refugees would be allowed to stay in Indonesia. But she predicted they could be staying in the country for months.
“They would need to be quarantined for Covid-19 and be given access to health services, be registered, and more. That can take months,” said Rina.
Read: UNHCR Ready to Assist Rohingya Refugees Stranded in Aceh
EGI ADYATAMA
