Rohingya refugees arriving in Indonesia by boat surge 700% as sea crossings predicted to reach a new high this year

JAKARTA, 4 November 2024: The number of Rohingya refugees arriving in Indonesia by boat in October rose more than 700% compared to a year ago, said Save the Children, with boat journeys predicted to increase to record highs in coming months as monsoon winds drop and seas are calmer. 

At least 395 Rohingya refugees, including 173 children, arrived in Indonesia by boat in October, compared with 49 recorded in the same month in 2023, according to figures from the UNHCR [1]. Three boats arrived in October, with the latest landing in Aceh on 31 October carrying 90 Rohingya refugees, including seven children. Six people are reported to have died, with bodies found on the shore and floating in the sea. 

At least 221 Rohingya refugees have lost their lives or were reported missing at sea so far this year.  Since February 2022, 985 people have died or gone missing during boat journeys from Bangladesh or Myanmar [1]. 

One of the factors driving Rohingya people onto boats is deteriorating security in the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Children and their parents described rising violence in the camps in a series of interviews with Save the Children earlier this year [2], sharing their fears and experiences of kidnappings for ransom, abductions and the recruitment of children by Rohingya armed groups in Bangladesh. 

For seven years, Rohingya refugee children in Bangladesh have gone without formal education, parents and caregivers don’t have jobs, and all refugees have become more vulnerable to deaths and injuries from large-scale fires, flooding and landslides - and now violence and insecurity in the camps. 

Those attempting sea journeys are at the mercy of traffickers and at risk of abuse at sea. Smugglers often use boats that are poorly equipped for the long sea journeys and often carry insufficient supplies of food and water which run out before they land. 

Around 1,000 Rohingya refugees who arrived in Indonesia are still living in temporary shelters and camps [3]. Save the Children is supporting the Geutanyoe Foundation in Aceh to strengthen community awareness and local government support for Rohingya refugees. 

Sultana Begum, Asia Head of humanitarian policy and advocacy for Save the Children, said: 

“This staggering rise in Rohingya refugees arriving in Indonesia in the last month alone should be a wake-up call for the region. No child should have to endure weeks at sea in a flimsy boat. No child should have to put their life on the line. 

“With predictions that the number of refugee boats will be at a record high this year, regional governments must act urgently. This is not the responsibility of Indonesia alone – all governments in the region must allow Rohingya refugee boats to land safely and honour their international obligations and commitments outlined in the Bali Declaration. 

“It's time for a swift and unified regional effort to enhance cooperation, save lives at sea, guarantee safe disembarkation, and provide people with access to humanitarian aid and procedures to determine their refugee status. The needs of Rohingya refugees have never been greater - the international community must scale up their humanitarian and long term assistance.”

Notes to Editors: 

[1] Percentage increase calculated using latest data from UNHCR + Rohingya maritime movements dashboard https://data.unhcr.org/en/situations/myanmar#powerbi

[2]  “We are too scared to go anywhere”: Rohingya children’s fears as violence spirals in Bangladesh refugee camps | Save the Children International

[3] https://data.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/111317

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