UNAIR NEWS – Rohingya refugees’ disembarkation on the shores of Aceh stunned the locals on Monday, December 26, 2022. The phenomenon further raised pros and cons among the public. Addressing the issue, Fadhila Inas Pratiwi S Hub Int MA, International Relations lecturer at Universitas Airlangga shared her professional view.

She believed that the Myanmar military junta’s persecution of the Rohingya has violated human rights. The crisis forced them to seek refuge in neighboring countries.

“The human rights have been violated,” Fadhila said on Wednesday, January 4, 2023.

Since 2012, the Government of Indonesia has distributed a lot of humanitarian assistance to Rohingya refugees. The crisis also impacted Southeast Asia countries as the neighboring countries.

“With the non-existence mechanism to overcome the crisis of Rohingya, Southeast Asian countries definitely will be impacted,” said the University of Birmingham alumna.

The human rights of Rohingya refugees are the responsibility of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). However, the state also takes part in solving the problem.

“A state plays an important role in intervening and dealing with the refugees who enter the country. The state also uses its budget to solve the refugees’ problem, like providing shelter, food, clothes, and decent life,” she said.

The Government of Indonesia has conducted multiple efforts to accommodate refugees and use diplomacy to prevent violence against the Rohingya people. In 2015, 1,800 Rohingya refugees were rescued off the coast of Aceh. The Foreign Affair Ministry also has led the Indonesian Humanitarian Alliance for Myanmar (AKIM) to distribute social assistance in Rakhine.

However, there are limitations to Indonesian efforts to help. “The non-intervention value in ASEAN causes its members unable to solve the human rights violations in Rohingya and Myanmar,” Fadhila said.

The Government faced another problem. The lecturer said that accommodating Rohingya refugees require a considerable amount of fund.

“The APBN funds will need to be budgeted for refugee problems as it requires huge funds,” she said.

Some also believed that the refugees will unsettle the locals.

On the other hand, accommodating Rohingya refugees will earn Indonesia some benefits, for instance, international recognition as the most welcoming country to refugees.

Fadhila suggested building a regional mechanism to stop Myanmar from committing human rights violations against the Rohingya.

“Until now, ASEAN hasn’t been able to give solutions for Rohingya,” she said.

Author: Ghulam Phasa Pambayung Editor: Khefti Al Mawalia