violence.44 They instead risk mental and physical trauma; that risk is doubled for victims and
survivors of sexual violence by the Burmese military. The status quo is thus forcing
Rohingya women and girls into deadly sea crossings, endangering them with sexual
violence, and effectively silencing them.
Risk of targeted atrocities
In an environment deprived of access to safety, protection, basic services, and livelihoods,
as well as recourse to justice, any act of hostility against Rohingya refugees grossly
increases their risk of facing atrocities. Such was the case in Myanmar in the years leading
up to the 2017 attacks of genocide, and remains to be so for many of the South and
Southeast Asian countries that host Rohingya refugees, including boat people, today.
Most recently, in Indonesia, the spread of anti-Rohingya hate speech, misinformation, and
disinformation have been reported as key driving forces of anti-Rohingya violence. This
pattern reached its peak on December 27, 2023, in Aceh, when about 200 students were
encouraged to lead anti-Rohingya protests and physically raid a community hall sheltering
at least 137 Rohinya refugees.45 Dressed in green jackets, the students had begun their
coordinated march after protesting in front of Aceh’s parliament and calling for the
expulsion of Rohingya refugees from the province. The group then marched onto the
community hall, where they verbally and physically assaulted the refugees, raided their
belongings, forced them onto trucks, and expelled them to a government office.46 The
targeted attacks in Aceh followed incidents of its local residents physically refusing the
disembarkation of boats carrying Rohingya refugees, which left more than 240 of them to
be stranded on sea.47 Such acts are in line with that of the Indonesian navy, which also
pushed back a boat carrying Rohingya refugees off the coast of Aceh’s Weh Island on
December 28, and conducted exercises to “prevent boats carrying Rohingya refugees from
entering the waters of Riau province” on January 5, 2024.48 The refugees have since
continued to be denied access to domestic justice mechanisms, among many other
potentially effective instruments for remedy. Without such mechanisms, it is highly probable
that anti-Rohingya sentiment will continue to escalate to the extent that it will yield greater, if
not more aggressive, acts of targeted violence.
44
Yacoub, Errington, Nu, and Robinson, “Rights Adrift: Sexual Violence Against Rohingya Women on the Andaman
Sea.”
45
“Students in Indonesia protest the growing numbers of Rohingya refugees in Aceh province.”
46
“Indonesia: Protect Newly Arrived Rohingya Refugees: Investigate, Prevent Anti-Rohingya Violence in Aceh.”
47
Rahmat Mirza, “More than 240 Rohingya refugees afloat off Indonesia after they are twice refused by residents,”
The Associated Press, November 17, 2023,
https://apnews.com/article/indonesia-aceh-rohingya-refugees-muslims-ab4fcccd5011a817fc1c7054a8bf688d.
48
T Nasharul, “VIDEO Momen Kapal Perang TNI ‘Usir’ Kapal yang Diduga Angkut Rohingya di Perairan Pulau Weh,”
Serambi Indonesia, December 29, 2023,
https://aceh.tribunnews.com/2023/12/29/video-momen-kapal-perang-tni-usir-kapal-yang-diduga-angkut-rohingya-d
i-perairan-pulau-weh; “Navy, police conduct patrol to halt Rohingya boats from entering Riau,” ANTARA, January 4,
2024,
https://en.antaranews.com/news/302505/navy-police-conduct-patrol-to-halt-rohingya-boats-from-entering-riau.
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