Jakarta: The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and local authorities are providing life-saving assistance and meeting the immediate protection needs of the third group of Rohingya refugees to arrive by boat since mid-November 2022.
The 57 males, including 13 minors safely disembarked in Aceh Besar Regency early on Sunday, December 25, 2022, with the support of local community members.
The unusually male-only boat is believed to have set off from Bangladesh and spent nearly a month drifting at sea.
"Now more than ever, with concern so high for the welfare of other groups still reported to be at sea, we understand how risky these boat journeys can be, and we are pleased to be supporting the government and the local community in Indonesia to reach out, in a humanitarian spirit, to assist those in need of protection," said Louis Hoffmann, IOM’s Chief of Mission in Indonesia, in a media release on Monday, December 26, 2022.
IOM has been coordinating closely with the National Refugee Task Force and local government to provide support to a safe arrival and will continue to work with partners to ensure healthcare (including COVID-19 testing), adequate shelter, water and sanitation, protection and mental health and psychosocial support needs are met in the coming days.
IOM Indonesia currently assists over 7,000 refugees in Indonesia with comprehensive care and assistance, including accommodation, healthcare, mental health and psychosocial support, education, and basic needs.
IOM also works closely with the Government of Indonesia to prevent and counter trafficking in persons, strengthen protection for labour migrants, improve disaster risk reduction and disaster response, and to support integrated border management systems with a particular focus on strengthening the handling of and preparation for pandemic response.
With media reports of other boats still stranded at sea, including one where it is feared the significant loss of life has been suffered, IOM has once again urgently called on States in the region to uphold the commitments of the 2016 Bali Declaration as well as ASEAN pledges to protect the most vulnerable and ensure no one is left behind, particularly at this very challenging time globally.
"Governments and partners have come together before, to address this at the regional level. We recall the commitments to address irregular maritime movements and preservation of life at sea made through the Bali Process and the Regional Consultative mechanism. With the lives and safety of refugees hanging in the balance, at the hands of smugglers, we once again call for urgent regional action," said Hoffmann.
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