Over 100 Rohingya Refugees Rescued Off Indonesia
More than 100 Rohingya refugees, including women and children, were rescued after their boat sank off the coast of Indonesia, VOA reported citing the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR).
According to the source, a total of 116 refugees were reported by the East Aceh government. The wooden boat was found half-submerged near northeastern Sumatra Island, and the refugees walked to safety just 100 meters from shore.
Rohingya arrivals in Indonesia typically follow a cyclical pattern, with numbers decreasing during stormy months. Indonesia, not a signatory to the U.N. refugee convention, has called for neighboring countries to share the burden of resettling Rohingya. While many Acehnese sympathize with the refugees, tensions have arisen over resource consumption and local conflicts.
