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Here are excerpts from the podcast:
Teresa Teng:
These shores were once welcoming and hospitable, but now they are hostile. Some are even protesting the presence of more Rohingya in Aceh. What has changed? Why is there such resistance now?
Chandni quotes:
You know, Teresa, it’s interesting because if we look at Aceh, Aceh is the westernmost province in Indonesia. It’s a religiously conservative region and the only province in Indonesia that officially practices Islamic law.
Now we talked to people in Aceh, we talked to locals, not only in the villages but also in the capital, Banda Aceh, and we asked them this question and something stood out in their responses.
First, many people expressed sympathy and understanding for the plight of the Rohingya refugees. However, they increasingly felt that Indonesia was being exploited. They said it was fine for them, that there had been small numbers of (Rohingya) arriving by boat before, but that was fine with them, but this influx has caused a wave of panic.
Looking at Aceh, as of 2022, Aceh is one of the five poorest provinces in Indonesia. However, this statistic has been decreasing, and Aceh is doing better in terms of poverty rate.
Still, many people, especially those in and around host communities, feel the burden of hosting Rohingya in their neighborhoods, and their communities worry that authorities are doing more for foreigners than for locals…
Now there’s also the fact that there’s a fear that Indonesia, especially Aceh, is going to be a landing point for Rohingya refugees. You know, some of the people we spoke to said, “Oh, the Rohingya refugees, they’re causing trouble. They’re committing petty crimes.” We also heard from them about fleeing the camps.
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