Four Indonesians arrested over Rohingya refugees smuggling

ARAB NEWS
AFP
02 April 2024

Four Indonesian suspects in connection with the smuggling of Rohingya refugees are seen during a press conference at the West Aceh Police Station in Meulaboh, West Aceh, on April 2, 2024. (AFP)

• One of the suspects said that he received five million rupiah ($314) per refugee from an agent in Malaysia 

 

MEULABOH: Four Indonesians have been arrested in connection with the smuggling of dozens of Rohingya refugees whose boat capsized in waters off the archipelago’s westernmost coast last month, police said Tuesday.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo pledged action against traffickers, not deportation of Rohingya

AFP
AFP Indonesia
Published on Tuesday 16 January 2024

After hundreds of Rohingya landed on the shores of Indonesia's Aceh province, a video was shared in social media posts that falsely claimed President Joko Widodo had called for the refugees to be expelled. The video -- which has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times -- in fact shows the president pledging to take action against human traffickers suspected to be behind the recent influx and saying temporary humanitarian aid would be given to the refugees.