REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The wave of Rohingya and Bangladeshi refugees arriving here is a test for ASEAN to deal with these humanitarian problems, former Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said.
"This tragedy is a test for ASEAN and other relevant countries, including agencies of the United Nations, to seek appropriate solutions," SBY, as he is also known, tweeted on Monday (18/5).
He added that the spontaneity with which the people of Aceh had provided humanitarian assistance to the Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshis was very touching.
"The condition of these refugees, especially the children, should be a cause for concern for all people," he stated.
SBY also pointed out that it would be unfair if Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand alone were held responsible. Myanmar and Bangladesh should be held accountable for the refugees, as well.
"People should rescue the refugees who are still at sea quickly and appropriately. We should then seek a permanent solution," he remarked.
"People neglecting the refugees should also be punished strictly," he emphasized.
Earlier, Deputy House Speaker Fahri Hamzah had suggested to the government to establish international cooperation to tackle the issue of Rohingya asylum seekers.
The government should take concrete action and tackle the issue jointly in cooperation with other countries, the lawmaker stated here on Sunday.
He condemned the statements made by some Indonesian officials who tend to reject entry to the refugees.
The government has yet to issue a policy regarding asylum seekers, but it is not an excuse to refuse assistance to the migrants, he stated.
"Their suffering is real. For the sake of humanity, do we have the heart to ignore them?" the lawmaker said.
He urged President Joko Widodo to issue a regulation on handling foreign asylum seekers and migrants.
"It could be a presidential decree on handling migrants and asylum seekers," he stated.
On May 15, some 648 Rohingya asylum seekers were found stranded in Malacca Strait some 20 miles from Pusong Beach, East Aceh district, Aceh Darussalam province, and were finally rescued by local fishermen.
On the same day, in Aceh Darussalam's neighboring province of North Sumatra, 96 Rohingyas, including 83 men, eight women, and five children, were also rescued by local fishermen after being stranded in the waters of Pangkalan Susu sub-district, Langkat district.
On May 10, as many as 587 refugees, including women and children, from Myanmar had also been found stranded in the waters of North Aceh district.
They were then given shelter in Kuala Cangkoi village, Lapang sub-district, some 300 kilometers from the Aceh provincial capital of Banda Aceh.
Governor of Aceh Darussalam Zaini Abdullah has provided aid in the form of food and clothing, loaded in three trucks, to be distributed to the Rohingya Muslims who are in dire need of assistance.
Some of the asylum seekers, both in Aceh Darussalam and North Sumatra, are receiving medical treatment due to their deteriorating health condition after being at sea for several days.
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