East Aceh. A total of 137 Rohingya immigrants arrived in Kuala Parek, Sungai Raya District, East Aceh Regency, Aceh on Thursday. Among them were 40 men, 47 women, and 50 children.

Tribal leader Miftah Cut Adek said the Rohingya immigrants arrived on the shores of Kuala Parek around 06:00 AM WIB, using wooden boats.

"A group of 137 Rohingya illegal immigrant refugees made landfall during the ebb and flow of the sea in the coastal area of Kuala Parek Gampong, Sungai Raya District, East Aceh Regency. Kuala Parek is a former village that was hit by the tsunami in December 2004," said Cut Adek.

Currently, Kuala Parek is uninhabited as its residents have moved to the Keude land village.

In recent months, Aceh, the westernmost province of Indonesia with a Muslim-majority population, has witnessed the arrival of boats carrying Rohingya refugees. The influx, often involving over a hundred people per landing, has triggered local protests. While residents were initially welcoming, resentment has grown with the increasing number of arrivals. Recently, a sizable group of university students stormed a shelter in Banda Aceh, urging the deportation of refugees. These protests have raised concerns among humanitarian organizations.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is still in the process of finding the appropriate locations to place Rohingya refugees who are currently scattered in various areas in Aceh.

Currently, Rohingya refugees are temporarily accommodated in several locations, including Camp Yayasan Mina Raya in Pidie Regency, the Sabang port area, the former Immigration Office in Lhokseumawe City, and the Balai Meuseuraya Aceh (BMA) in Banda Aceh.
 

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