MUI Urges UNHCR to Solve Refugee Issues in Indonesia

Jakarta, MINA – Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) for Foreign Relations and International Cooperation, Sudarnoto Abdul Hakim, urged the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to immediately resolve the problems of refugees who have long been adrift in Indonesia.

“UNHCR’s insistence on the Indonesian government is actually unnecessary. This suggests that the Indonesian government and people do not care about humanitarian issues. What UNHCR must do right now is to immediately resolve the Afghan refugees who have been adrift in Indonesia for a long time,” said Sudarnoto Abdul Hakim in a written statement received in Jakarta on Thursday.

He said that the main problem that UNHCR had not resolved was to leave the refugees already in Indonesia in uncertainty.

“They have a natural right to live and therefore their basic rights must be fulfilled immediately by sending them to countries that provide political asylum. Allowing refugees to linger in uncertainty is the same as allowing their rights to life and dignity to be violated and this is tantamount to slowly killing them; kill their hope and future,” he said.

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“As long as UNHCR does not show its seriousness in resolving this refugee issue, a new wave of refugees will enter Indonesian waters, including Rohingya,” he said.

“There is a strong impression that UNHCR has been very slow in resolving this issue of Afghan refugees and now, Indonesia is being asked to accept the burden of its Rohingya refugees. UNHCR should not burden the government and the Indonesian people by pressing for the Indonesian government to immediately accept the Rohingya refugees,” said Sudarnoto.

This is an unethical attitude, he continued, especially since it is clear that UNHCR has left Afghan refugees in a state of misery in Indonesia.

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He said the Indonesian government and nation would provide assistance through humanitarian programs, especially to refugees.

The commitment of the Indonesian people to humanity has never been doubted and has been shown to handle various humanitarian problems, including the humanitarian tragedy that befell the Palestinian nation and people as a result of the Israeli genocide.

“Both the government and civil society forces, including Islamic mass organizations, many philanthropic institutions and religious leaders, have concretely given strong attention to this humanitarian program. The same thing was shown for the Vietnamese refugees on Galang Island several decades ago. Even to Afghan refugees,” he said.

The Afghan refugees, he continued, were temporarily accommodated in several parts of Indonesia and while in this shelter, the Indonesian people treat them well and provide assistance for various needs of daily life.

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“Nevertheless, UNHCR must also show a responsible and professional attitude in the eyes of the Indonesian people. Don’t let go, this is unethical to burden Indonesia,” he said.

Sudarnoto said that UNHCR must succeed in convincing countries granting political asylum to immediately open up and accept refugees. This is a productive step and can be a common solution for UNHCR, Indonesia, countries providing political asylum and refugees.

“The impasse has been at UNHCR and this must be broken immediately. Therefore, diplomatic talks must be carried out more intensively and with certainty so that in the near future there will be measurable concrete steps for the settlement of this refugee issue,” he said. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)