REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Minister of Social Affairs (mensos), Khofifah Indar Parawansa stated the ministry has prepared a budget of more than 2.3 billion IDR to provide aids to the refugees in Aceh. The funds are used to fulfill the needs of refugees and children such as clothing, blankets, supplies and other needs of children.

"The budget is from the social disaster fund. There is Directorate of Social Assistance of Social Disaster Victims," said Khofifah in the Vice Presidential Palace, Jakarta, on Monday, May 25.

She explained that in Indonesia there were about 11,330 refugees who were scattered throughout Indonesia. She continued, the refugees in Aceh itself came from two countries, namely Bangladesh and Myanmar (Rohingya). Nevertheless, they have a different motive to flee.

"There are two groups, if Bangladesh were job seekers, economic migrants, the solution is repatriation. I was meeting with IOM's chief of mission, the start of their return from Aceh to Medan transit and the return ticket will be covered by IOM," she explained.

Meanwhile, refugees from Myanmar were fleeing because of being pressured by the political situation in their country. The government also, he added, would repatriate refugees from Bangladesh.

Currently, said Khofifah, immigration authorities were preparing complete requirement for repatriation of refugees from Bangladesh. Khofifah said, there were 725 citizens of Bangladesh recorded in Aceh. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and IOM also has coordinated with the government of Bangladesh to discuss related issue to the repatriate them.

Meanwhile, for refugees from Myanmar who were attempting to seek asylum, the government has prepared temporary shelters for one year.

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