Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. Government officials, including Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and Head of Indonesian Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla) Admiral Irvansyah, convened at the Ministry of Coordinating Political, Legal, and Security Affairs office on Wednesday (6/12/23) to address the escalating Rohingya refugee crisis. Earlier this week, Minister Mahfud MD reaffirmed the government's commitment to finding solutions for the growing refugee situation. "The number of Rohingya refugees has risen to 1,478 individuals, prompting concerns from local residents in Aceh, North Sumatra, and Riau, like 'We are also struggling financially, why are these individuals consistently accommodated for free?' We are exploring solutions to address this matter," he said on Tuesday (5/12/23). Mahfud underscored that Indonesia's assistance to Rohingya immigrants is grounded in humanitarian principles, as the country has not ratified the United Nations (UN) Convention on Refugees, and, consequently, is not bound by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Addressing the regional context, he emphasized the challenges confronted by neighboring nations like Malaysia and Australia, inadvertently transforming Indonesia from an initially perceived transit point into an unintended destination for Rohingya refugees. The Aceh Provincial Government, the Ministry of Coordinating Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, and the Ministry of Law and Human Rights are actively coordinating efforts to find comprehensive solutions for Rohingya immigrants dispersed across multiple locations in Aceh. (ar/inp/pr/nm)