More than 100 Rohingya refugees rescued off Indonesia: UN

More than 100 Rohingya refugees, including women and children, were rescued after their boat sank off the coast of Indonesia, the United Nations refugee agency said Saturday.

The mostly Muslim ethnic Rohingya are heavily persecuted in Myanmar, and thousands risk their lives each year on dangerous sea journeys to reach Malaysia or Indonesia.

"We received a report from the East Aceh government that there are 116 refugees in total," UNHCR's Faisal Rahman said Saturday.

"The refugees are still on the beach right now. It has not been decided where they would be taken."

A local fisherman, Saifudin Taher, said the boat was first spotted entering East Aceh waters on Saturday morning, and a few hours later, it nearly sank.

"All passengers survived, but one of them was ill and immediately received treatment," Saifudin said. He added that the boat was only 100 meters from the beach, allowing the refugees to walk easily to safety.

Rohingya arrivals in Indonesia tend to follow a cyclical pattern, slowing during stormy months and picking back up when sea conditions calm.

Last month, 152 Rohingya refugees were finally brought ashore after being stranded for days off the coast of South Aceh while officials decided whether to let them land.

Indonesia is not a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention and says it cannot be compelled to take in refugees from Myanmar, calling instead on neighboring countries to share the burden and resettle the Rohingya who arrive on its shores.

Many Acehnese, who have memories of decades of bloody conflict, are sympathetic to the plight of their fellow Muslims. But others say their patience has been tested, claiming the Rohingya consume scarce resources and occasionally come into conflict with locals.

In December 2023, hundreds of students forced the relocation of more than 100 Rohingya refugees, storming a community hall in Aceh where they were sheltering and vandalizing their belongings.