Between October and April, the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea witness a perilous migration as thousands of Rohingya refugees risk their lives seeking safety in Malaysia and Indonesia. These refugees hail from Myanmar’s Rakhine State, where they have endured relentless persecution, ethnic cleansing, and genocide. Over a million have fled to Bangladesh, where overcrowded and unsanitary camps offer little reprieve, while a few hundred thousand remain in Rakhine under dire conditions. This desperate situation leaves many vulnerable to human traffickers who promise a better future abroad.
The sea journey is treacherous, often lasting over 40 days in rickety boats lacking water, food, and medical care. Many do not survive. While Indonesia, particularly the Aceh region, continues to provide refuge, other nations often turn these boats away, leaving the Rohingya adrift. The growing influx of refugees has raised concerns about Aceh’s ability to sustain its remarkable solidarity. Shelter and resources are increasingly strained, testing the resilience of local communities that have shown extraordinary compassion.
At the heart of the response is Yayasan Geutanyoe, a local NGO tirelessly coordinating relief efforts. They ensure no refugee is left without food, shelter, or medical aid after their harrowing journey. However, as arrivals surge, global indifference exacerbates the crisis, leaving Aceh and Yayasan Geutanyoe to shoulder an overwhelming burden. International action is urgently needed to address the root causes of the Rohingya’s suffering and provide sustainable solutions to this humanitarian tragedy.
A boat used by Rohingya refugees to flee from Myanmar. The Rohingya have been persecuted for many years in their homeland making them flee for safety and survival to Bangladesh, Malaysia and now Indonesia as boat people spending several weeks at sea on unworthy boats at the peril of their lives. Pidie shore, temporary shelter, Aceh, Indonesia, February 2024
Between October and April each year when the seas are less affected by storms and cyclones thousands of Rohingya refugees attempt to cross the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea to reach the shores of Malaysia and Indonesia in search of protection. All are from Rakhine in Myanmar where they have been subject of persecution, ethnic cleansing and genocide. More than a million are refugees in Bangladesh, few hundred thousands remain in Myanmar. The inhumane conditions in Rakhine and the refugee camps in Bangladesh make them easy prey for human traffickers promising them a better future abroad. Usually the boats are unseaworthy and the journey endless, usually more than 40 days. With a lack of water, food and medical care many dont survive the crossing. At present only Indonesia is still allowing the boats and refugees to stay, other countries usually push the boats back in international waters. The question remains how long Indonesia and the population of Aceh will continue to accept and shelter the Rohingya refugees that nobody is ready to accept despite the documented abuses they are victim of in Rakhine and in the refugee camps of Bangladesh. So far the people of Aceh show great solidarity with the refugees arriving, but with ever increasing numbers arriving this may change in the future when finding appropriate shelter might become an issue. Much of the coordination, support and awareness is being provided by Yayasan Geutanyoe, a local NGO who is at the forefront of this humanitarian tragedy and is making sure that no one is left stranded without essential aid and shelter after the horrific journey refugees have been through. Shelter for Rohingya refugees in Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia, October 2023
Stranded Rohingya boat people from Burma that have arrived recently on the coast of Aceh. They are sheltered on the beach where arrived 3 months ago. Pidie, Aceh, Indonesia, February 2024
Stranded Rohingya children from Burma that have arrived recently on the coast of Aceh. They have been sheltered on the beach under harsh conditions ever since setting foot on this beach 6 months ago. Kulee Pidie in Aceh on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, May 2024
Rohingya refugees from Myanmar on the coast of Aceh where they landed after having fled by boat from Myanmar. The Rohingya have been persecuted for many years in their homeland making them flee for safety and survival to Bangladesh, Malaysia and now Indonesia as boat people spanding several weeks at sea on unworthy boats at the peril of their lives. Pidie shore, temporary shelter, Aceh, Indonesia, February 2024
Rohingya woman from Sittwe in Myanmar and her newborn child and husband in a shelter for Rohingya refugees that were trafficked by boat and stranded along the coast of Sumatra in Indonesia. Padang Tijie shelter for Rohingya refugees, Aceh, Indonesia, May 2024
Rohingya refugges from Myanmar that arrived by boat on the shores of Aceh in Sumatra after a deadly journey of more than 30 days at sea. Immigration centre for Rohingya boat people in Lhokseumawe, Indonesia, February 2024
Rohingya refugees from Myanmar on the coast of Aceh where they landed after having fled by boat from Myanmar. The Rohingya have been persecuted for many years in their homeland making them flee for safety and survival to Bangladesh, Malaysia and now Indonesia as boat people spending several weeks at sea on unworthy boats at the peril of their lives. Pidie shore, temporary shelter, Aceh, Indonesia, May 2024
A refugee camp for stranded Rohingya boat people in Lhokseumawe in Aceh, Indonesia, February 2024
A Rohingya man in a shelter for boat people that arrived on the coast of Aceh between December 2022 and April 2023. Padang Tijie, Bandar Aceh, Indonesia, October 2023
Rohingya stranded in Aceh after having crossed the high seas for several weeks from the southern tip of Bangladesh until reaching Malaysian or Indonesian waters. Achenese communities and Indonesian authorities are the sole country that still accepts them on their shore even though they are kept in shelters of a closed type with very limited freedom of movement. Padang Pijie, Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia, October 2023
Woman from the Rohingya minority who escaped from Rakhine in Myanmar via Bangladesh in unseaworthy boats. The sea crossing takes usually 30-40 days and many people die due to exposure, lack of water and disease. Padang Pijie, Sumatra, Indonesia, October 2023
Rohingya children playing and now living in barracks where they are held since they arrived on the shores of Aceh after a sea crossing from Myanmar and Bangladesh. All had to pay high amounts to traffickers to make the perilous journey and escape persecuation. Padang Pijie, Sumatra, Indonesia, October 2023
Rohingya stranded in Aceh after having crossed the high seas for several weeks from the southern tip of Bangladesh until reaching Malaysian or Indonesian waters. Achenese communities and Indonesian authorities are the sole country that still accepts them on their shore even though they are kept in shelters of a closed type with very limited freedom of movement. Padang Pijie, Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia, October 2023
Shelter for Rohingya refugees in Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia, October 2023
Children from the Rohingya minority who escaped from Rakhine in Myanmar via Bangladesh in unseaworthy boats. The sea crossing takes usually 30-40 days and many people die due to exposure, lack of water and disease. Padang Pijie, Sumatra, Indonesia, October 2023
A woman from the Myanmar Rohingya minority who was trafficked out of Sittwe the capital of Rakhine in August 2023 overland via Thailand until Malaysia from where she crossed into Sumatra by sea. More and more Rohingya have the desire to reach Aceh rather than Malaysia because they feel safer and believe they can be resettled in a third country faster than from Malaysia. Padang Tijie shelter for Rohingya refugees, Aceh, Indonesia, October 2023
Stranded Rohingya boat people from Burma that have arrived recently on the coast of Aceh. They are sheltered on the beach where arrived 3 months ago. Pidie, Aceh, Indonesia, February 2024
Latrines for Rohingya refugees stranded on this beach of Sumatra since they arrived as smuggled boat people from Myanmar. Pidie, Aceh on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, February 2024
Stranded Rohingya boat people from Burma that have arrived recently on the coast of Aceh. They are sheltered on the beach where arrived 3 months ago. Pidie, Aceh, Indonesia, February 2024
Rohingya refugee girl stranded on a beach of Sumatra after having fled her homeland and spending a month on an overcrowded wooden boat with food and water for barely one week. Thousands of Rohingya die every year trying to reach safety by boat in the region. Pidie beach camp, Aceh, Indonesia, February 2024
A refugee camp for Rohingya boat people that have recently arrived on the coast of Aceh in Indonesia, Pidie, Sumatra, February 2024
