London, UK – Burma Human Rights Network condemns the recent incident in Aceh, Indonesia, where Rohingya refugees were forcibly evicted from their temporary shelter by a group of students. BHRN is calling on the Indonesian government to take immediate action to protect the rights and safety of the Rohingya community within its borders.
On 27 December, a group of students stormed the temporary shelter where Rohingya refugees had sought refuge, resulting in the forced eviction of the vulnerable refugees, primarily women and children, who were then taken to another location by authorities. This reprehensible act not only violates international human rights principles but signals a worrying increase in animosity towards the Rohingya in Indonesia.
Rohingya from Bangladesh and Burma have been arriving in Indonesia for over a month, most of them fleeing the deteriorating situation of the refugee camps in Bangladesh, where poor conditions and gang violence have made life unbearable.
Kyaw Win, Executive Director of BHRN, expressed deep concern over the incident, stating, “The forced eviction of Rohingya refugees is a clear violation of their basic human rights. Indonesia is obligated to ensure the safety and well-being of all individuals within its borders, including refugees fleeing persecution.”
BHRN urges the Indonesian government to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the incident to hold those responsible for the forced eviction accountable. Indonesia must take immediate steps to provide adequate protection for the affected Rohingya refugees. Indonesia must also review and strengthen measures to prevent similar incidents in the future, including security for temporary shelters hosting refugees.
BHRN calls on the international community to support Indonesia in fulfilling its obligations to protect the rights of refugees and to provide humanitarian assistance to those affected by the forced eviction. The international community must also work with Bangladesh to correct the serious issues in the camps exacerbating the crisis.
BHRN Urges Indonesia to Protect Rohingya Refugees Following Forced Eviction
