Search and rescue members evacuate Rohingya refugees from a boat. AFP/Chaideer Mahyuddin
BANDA ACEH - More than 150 Rohingya refugees including women and children have been rescued off the coast of Indonesia after their boat languished at sea for days, the United Nations refugee agency said.
The mostly Muslim ethnic Rohingya are heavily persecuted in Myanmar and thousands risk their lives each year on long and dangerous sea journeys to reach Malaysia or Indonesia.
The boat carrying 152 people was anchored a 1.6 kilometres off the coast of South Aceh district for days while officials decided whether to let them land, but they were finally brought ashore on Thursday afternoon.
"UNHCR would like to thank the authorities and local communities for the humanitarian spirit and life-saving efforts as well as the landing permits given to around 152 refugees," UNHCR's Faisal Rahman told AFP on Friday.
"Many of those on the boat were vulnerable women and children, victims of human trafficking," he said, adding that UNHCR and other humanitarian agencies were now assisting the refugees.
Rohingya arrivals in Indonesia tend to follow a cyclical pattern, slowing during the stormy months and picking back up when sea conditions calm as they have in recent weeks.
Another group of more than 140 Rohingya refugees landed in Indonesia's North Sumatra province on Thursday.
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 neighbouring countries to share the burden and resettle Rohingya who arrive on its shores.
Many Acehnese, who have memories of decades of bloody conflict themselves, 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 vandalising their belongings.