UNHCR and IOM mobilize aid for Rohingya Refugees following boat tragedy in Indonesia
Bangkok, 22 March 2024 – UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and IOM, the UN Migration Agency are shocked and deeply concerned over the situation off the coast of Meulaboh, West Aceh, Indonesia where a vessel transporting Rohingya refugees has capsized. With rescue...
History of Displacement in Indonesia and the Role of UNHCR
2024 marks the 45th year of UNHCR in Indonesia. As a vast country, Indonesia has experienced several key moments related to displacement in its recent history. UNHCR engaged during these periods to support the Indonesian government, the local communities and to...
UNHCR disturbed over mob attack and forced eviction of refugees in Aceh, Indonesia
BANGKOK – UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is deeply disturbed to see a mob attack on a site sheltering vulnerable refugee families, the majority being children and women, in Indonesia Banda Aceh city. Hundreds of youngsters stormed a building basement on Wednesday (27...
Refugee protection obligations and UNHCR’s mandate
Responding to the latest issues regarding UNHCR, here we share several facts for everyone to know: While Indonesia has not ratified the 1951 Refugee Convention, its 1945 Constitution Article 28, recognizes the right to seek asylum, for all individuals. Furthermore,...
14 Facts on Rohingya Refugees
In the recent weeks, there has been a proliferation of social media posts regarding the recent boat arrivals of Rohingya refugees in Aceh. Here are some facts on Rohingya refugees that you need to know: 1. For decades, Rohingya have faced extreme suffering in...
UNHCR seeks urgent action to provide lifesaving rescue at sea for boats adrift in the Andaman Sea
BANGKOK — UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is making an urgent appeal to all countries in the region, particularly those in the area surrounding the Andaman Sea, to swiftly deploy their full search and rescue capacities in response to reported vessels in distress with...
UNHCR welcomes recent boat rescues and safe disembarkations in Indonesia and seeks continued support for additional boats in distress
BANGKOK — UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, commends the life-saving actions taken by the Indonesian authorities and Acehnese people over the last three days to rescue and safely disembark persons distressed at sea. UNHCR pleads for continued compassion and hospitality to...
UNHCR welcomes Indonesia’s act of humanity, saving desperate human lives adrift at sea
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is relieved to see more than 200 desperate people being brought ashore to safety, in north-west Indonesia over the past few days. Many among them are believed to have been adrift for at least a month, without any help before being...
November 2022, Disembarkation of 2 Boats with Rohingya Refugees in North Aceh
JAKARTA, December 7, 2022 – On November 15 and 16, 2022, two boats carrying 110 and 119 Rohingya refugees disembarked in North Aceh, Indonesia. The first boat disembarked at Meunasah Lhok, Muara Batu sub-district on November 15 2022 at 03.25 WIB carrying 65...
World Refugee Day commemorated – New global displacement record reported in UNHCR’s 2021 Global Trends
Jakarta, 20 June 2022 – This year, the World Refugee Day is marked with a new record of global displacement number in history. The UN Refugee Agency’s (UNHCR) 2021 Global Trends – released on 17 June – reported that by end of 2021, those displaced by war,...
UNHCR applauds Indonesia for allowing safe disembarkation of boat with Rohingya refugees in Aceh
JAKARTA, 31 December 2021 – UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, applauds the Indonesian Government for allowing the disembarkation yesterday evening, of 105 (8 men, 50 women, 47 children) Rohingya refugees who had for days been stranded on a boat in the open seas near...
UNHCR calls for emergency landing for Rohingya refugees in the waters of Bireuen, Aceh
JAKARTA, 28 December 2021 – UNHCR, the UN Agency for Refugees, is calling for an immediate life-saving landing of the ship carrying a group of Rohingya refugees who are in difficulty in the waters of Bireuen, Aceh, Indonesia. The ship was first seen in Bireuen...