Stranded at Sea: Rohingya Refugees Face Uncertain Fate off Indonesian Coast

Around 140 Rohingya refugees, primarily women and children, are stranded on a boat off the coast of Indonesia's Aceh province. Facing a community that refuses to let them land, they endure dire conditions. The boat embarked from Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, aiming for Malaysia. Indonesia grapples with complex humanitarian challenges.

Roughly 140 Rohingya Muslims, including women and children, remain aboard a wooden vessel off the coast of Aceh, Indonesia. The boat has been anchored for days as local fishermen prevent them from coming ashore, citing fears of unrest.

The refugees embarked from Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, on October 9, and three are reported dead from the journey. Indonesian authorities have detained three suspects in an alleged human smuggling operation. As the boat drifted towards their waters, Aceh residents provided limited aid to the stranded asylum seekers.

The Rohingya, a Muslim minority group from Myanmar, continue to face immense persecution. Many of them harbor hopes of reaching Malaysia despite Indonesia providing temporary refuge in the past. This humanitarian crisis highlights the challenges faced without international agreements like the 1951 Refugee Convention.

(With inputs from agencies.)