JAKARTA— After deciding to allow over 100 Rohingya refugees to safely disembark, Indonesia on Thursday dispatched one of its naval ships to tow the overcrowded stricken boat to Kruengkeukuh Port in Lhokseumawe City, near Aceh province.
On Wednesday, after initially wanting to turn away the boat, Indonesia allowed the refugees to come ashore on humanitarian grounds.
The dilapidated boat was adrift for days after it broke down and started leaking about 85 kilometres off the coast of Bireuen.
The mission to tow the boat began at 6am local time and was expected to be completed at 6.30pm amid high sea conditions, navy spokesperson First Admiral Julius Widjojono said in a statement.
On Tuesday, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, called for the immediate, life-saving disembarkation of a group of the refugees in distress on the boat.
“To prevent needless loss of life, we strongly urge the Indonesian government to allow safe disembarkation immediately,” it noted in a statement, adding that Indonesia has set an example for other countries in the region in providing refugee protection for many years.
UNHCR staff are currently on the ground, working closely with the local authorities as it stands ready to assist the government and the local community to provide immediate life-saving help for the group.
They are also coordinating with humanitarian partners to prepare for a comprehensive response, which includes a quarantine process that is in line with international standards and public health protocols.
Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK