Committee to report Rohingya refugees for false rape claims
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| Indonesian policewomen (foreground and background right) escort two Rohingya women (foreground and background center) who are alleged rape victims to a hospital in Lhokseumawe on Sep.30. (AFP/Reza Juanda) |
October 3, 2015
The Aceh National Committee for Rohingya Solidarity (KNSR) is set to report four female Rohingya refugees who claim to have been raped following medical examination results from Cut Meutia Hospital that contradict the allegations.
"Aceh has kindly welcomed the Rohingya refugees. Volunteers from various institutions as well as Aceh residents have left their own families day and night to help them. But then they lied and claimed they were raped, humiliating us, the volunteers, Aceh and Indonesia," said Aceh KNSR chief Mustafa MY Tiba on Friday as quoted by kompas.com.
According to Mustafa, the lies told by the refugees had made Aceh and Indonesia a target of abuse from the world.
"For that, we need to create a deterrent to ensure the same incident won't happen again. On Monday, we will file a report to the police to investigate the case thoroughly," said Mustafa.
He added that the committee suspected the refugees had been provoked into lying, which would explain why they dared to make such accusations and cause so much chaos at their camp.
"We suspect they were being coached to lie. The mastermind behind this must be found out and arrested," said Mustafa.
More than 200 ethnic Rohingya stormed out of their camp in Aceh on Tuesday as tensions erupted following claims of rape and torture at the site where the members of Myanmar's long-persecuted minority have been held since arriving four months ago by boat.
The incident occurred after authorities forced a female detainee to go to a hospital. Other Rohingya did not want her to leave, fearing she could be abused more if separated from the group, said Steve Hamilton, deputy chief of mission at the International Organization for Migration, who was at the scene.
Four females and six males, aged 14 to 28, said they were attempting to flee the camp on Monday night because they wanted to go to neighboring Malaysia, where a large community of Muslim Rohingya exists, Hamilton said.
Four months ago, under international pressure, Indonesia and Malaysia finally allowed the boats carrying the migrants to land and said they would temporarily host those on board until a more permanent solution could be found.
Hundreds of Rohingya ended up in Indonesia, but it was never their intended destination. They are being held in camps, are unable work and are separated from family members, including many that live in Malaysia.
