Hundreds in Sumatra protest growing arrival of Rohingya refugees by sea

Protesters gather outside a port where a group of Rohingya Muslims have taken shelter since their arrival last month, during a rally in Sabang, Aceh on Dec 18, 2023. - AP

SABANG, Indonesia: More than 200 people protested Monday (Dec 18) against the continued arrival of Rohingya refugees by boat on an island in Indonesia.

Over 1,500 Rohingya, who fled violent attacks in Myanmar and now are leaving camps in neighbouring Bangladesh in search of better lives, have arrived in Aceh off the tip of Sumatra since November. They have faced some hostility from fellow Muslims in Aceh.