ROHINGYAS -- INDONESIA WORKING WITH UNHCR, PUSHING

C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 000252


DEPARTMENT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, PRM FOR HTRAN, DRL
NSC FOR EPHU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/12/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PREF ID BM
SUBJECT: ROHINGYAS -- INDONESIA WORKING WITH UNHCR, PUSHING
FOR REGIONAL SOLUTION

REF: JAKARTA 194 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: DCM John A. Heffern, reasons 1.4(b+d).


1. (U) This message was coordinated with Consulate Medan.


2. (C) SUMMARY: The GOI will soon grant access to UNHCR to
the nearly 400 Rohingya boat people rescued by Indonesian
authorities off the coast of Aceh in January-February. UNHCR
and IOM personnel met with the GOI to present a plan for the
care of the Rohingyas. IOM will present a budget request to
PRM soon focused on long-term care. The GOI has also
announced that it will work regionally within the Bali
Process to deal with the Rohingya problem. The issue might
also be on the agenda of the upcoming ASEAN Summit. END
SUMMARY.

GRANTING UNHCR ACCESS


3. (C) The GOI will grant access to UNHCR soon, a Department
of Foreign Affairs (Deplu) official handling the Rohingya
siutation told DepPol/C on February 12. Kusuma Pradopo,
Deputy Director for Asia at Deplu, added that UNHCR and IOM
presented a solid proposal for the long-term care of the two
groups stranded on Sabang Island and East Aceh Province. The
GOI would welcome any assistance that the USG can offer,
Pradopo said.


4. (C) Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda stated on February 5
that the GOI "will screen those claiming (to have) political
reasons to seek asylum and this will take time." Pradopo
clarified that UNHCR will be involved in the screening.

IOM ASSESSMENT


5. (C) IOM presented to Deplu on February 9 its assessment
of the boat people being cared for by the GOI in Sabang,
following its interviews with the 193 at that location. The
assessment--which IOM shared with DepPol/C--concluded that
the population consisted of:

--136 Burmese (110 Rohingya) and 56 Bangladeshi, of which 27
were aged 12-17, the rest 18-50.
--91 who expressed fear of persecution if repatriated, 55 who
had no fear (all Bangladeshi),and 46 who did not respond
either way.
--167 were not willing to return home, with 25 willing (one
had no opinion).


6. (C) The assessment strongly indicated that the Rohingya's
voyage was a highly organized smuggling operation. They
arrived in Thailand from Bangladesh and Burma on different
boats of about 100 passengers each. They were captured by
Thai authorities and taken somewhere inland. They were mixed
together and physically abused for several days before being
towed out to sea on boats. The Thai Navy removed the engines
from the boats and set them adrift, the boat people told IOM.

TAKING IT TO A REGIONAL LEVEL: THE BALI PROCESS, ASEAN


7. (U) Wirajuda also said on February 11 that the GOI had
talked with the Thai government about using the Bali Process
to arrive at a broader solution to the migration of Rohingyas
from Burma.


8. (C) The Bali Process is co-chaired by the governments of
Indonesia and Australia, and is meant to address migration,
and combating trafficking in persons and people smuggling in
the Asia-Pacific region. Indonesia is urging the next
meeting to be advanced from June to March in order to address
the Rohingya issue, a senior Australian diplomat told the DCM
on February 12. Meanwhile, the Rohingya issue might be on
the agenda of the late February ASEAN Summit hosted by
Thailand, the Singapore DCM told us. Indonesia and the
Philippines are pushing hard on this issue while Thailand and
Burma are on the defensive, with Singapore straddling the
middle, the Singaporean DCM told us.

REQUESTING USG ASSISTANCE


9. (U) Having rescued and cared for the boat people at great
strain to its resources, the GOI is now working with the
UNHCR to provide long-term humanitarian care and screening
and pushing for a regional humanitarian solution. GOI will
need substantial assistance to deal with the boat people. IOM
and UNHCR will need to quickly find funding to meet the
commitment they have made to assist, and will present a
detailed budget to PRM within a few days.


HUME