More than 200 Rohingya refugees landed in Indonesia's Aceh province over the weekend, according to an official report on Monday. This development highlights a rising trend of arrivals by sea of the stateless population in Southeast Asia, Reuters reported.

The Rohingya, a predominantly Muslim minority originally from Myanmar, represent one of the world's largest stateless populations. Many flee harsh conditions in refugee camps, embarking on dangerous sea journeys in makeshift boats to reach countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. These crossings typically occur between October and April, when the seas are calmer, Reuters noted.

The latest group of refugees arrived on Sunday evening in the West Peureulak region of East Aceh on Sumatra island's western coast, said Miftach Tjut Adek, the head of Aceh's fishing community.

According to Reuters, Faisal Rahman, an official with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), confirmed that the agency is working closely with local authorities. A UNHCR team is en route to West Peureulak to provide assistance to the new arrivals.

Data from UNHCR shows a significant increase in the number of Rohingya arrivals in Indonesia. More than 2,000 refugees arrived in 2023 alone, surpassing the total arrivals of the previous four years combined. Reuters reported that, between October and November last year, over 500 Rohingya refugees reached Indonesia by boat.

Nearly one million Rohingya live in overcrowded camps in Bangladesh, which the UN has described as the largest humanitarian refugee settlement globally. Meanwhile, in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, the Rohingya are subjected to systemic discrimination, denied citizenship, and viewed as illegal immigrants from South Asia.

This report underscores the ongoing plight of the Rohingya, as documented by Reuters and other global agencies.
 

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