The Story of Rohingya Refugees Stranded in Aceh Turns Out to Be So Full of Sacrifice
News24xx.com - The journey of dozens of Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh to Malaysia had ended after they were stranded in North Aceh, on June 23. Behind the trip was a dark story that indicated modern slavery.
Some refugees claimed to go through agents' accomplices and had to work a lifetime to pay off travel debts.
One of them, Muhammad Yusuf.
Muhammad Yusuf is from Rakhine State, Myanmar. There, the second child of 14 siblings works as a pedicab driver to help the family economy.
However, in 2008 he fled after two of his younger siblings died during a conflict with Myanmar government troops. The series of violence there was referred to by UN investigators as "a perfect example of ethnic cleansing".
Like other Rohingya Muslim refugees, Yusuf went to Bangladesh. The country provides shelter for the Rohingya community, which is now the largest refugee camp in the world.
About one million ethnic Rohingya are in Cox's Bazar.
"I fled to Bangladesh to work odd jobs such as being a washerman at stalls," Muhammad Yusuf said through a translator.
Corona virus detected in Rohingya refugee camp, "thousands of people may die from Covid-19"
Read more: Attack of Racism; Give Salute in the style of Nazis and Despicable Black Man, Married Wives Arrested
In the refugee camp he can not do anything, can only eat potluck, while other needs such as education and health are still far from appropriate. Moreover, they are quite a number of their families.
This condition is the background for him and other Rohingya people who want to get out of the camp and look for work overseas. This desire later made him have to pawn his life.
Through an acquaintance, he made contact with an agent who promised work in Malaysia. The agent was willing to pay a travel allowance equivalent to Rp50 million. The money must be paid in installments for life.
"I left after being offered away by an agent who said he would give me a job. But I had to pay for the debt of a lifetime trip. This debt would only be paid off if I died," Yusuf added.
If he has managed to arrive in Malaysia and get a job, other families will also be told to come, so they can live better if they already get a job.
The same thing was said by Muhammad Bilal, another Rohingya refugee. He claimed not to pay for this trip. But upon his arrival in Malaysia, he admitted that he had to work to pay off debts and pay for his three children and one wife who are still in Bangladesh refugee camps.
"You don't pay by boat, you pay when you are already looking for work in Malaysia. Now you don't pay because you don't have money, but you only pay when you work," Bilal said through an interpreter.
On the ship, the sad story of Muhammad Yusuf and other Rohingya refugees continues.
Yusuf claimed that the Rohingya refugees were tortured by nine Burmese from Myanmar, the country that drove out the Rohingya. They, according to Yusuf, have firearms and other sharp weapons
"Our food stock is regulated by Burmese, from eating once a day to eating once every four days.
"I was hit with a sharp iron, hit with wood in the back until kicked in the face," said Yusuf.
He claimed to have been beaten and doused with hot water from an engine by a group of Burmese who operated the ship while asking for food and drink because of thirst.
The torture was fatal for a number of Rohingya refugees.
"Some others died at sea. Because of that, we left 99 people," said Yusuf.
According to Muhammad the Prophet, the Burmese people left them as soon as their ship was damaged in the middle of the sea.
While adrift in the sea, they drink seawater.
After being swayed in the sea for 4.5 months, they were helped by a number of Acehnese fishermen who saw the boat they were riding up and down under the waves without a functioning machine.
Based on the testimony of several Acehnese fishermen, the ship carrying Rohingya refugees was damaged about 80 miles from the coast of Seunuddon Beach, North Aceh Regency, so that water covered almost half of the hull of the ship.
Muhammad Yusuf is now living with 98 other Rohingya refugees at the Vocational Training Center (BLK) in Mee Kandang Village, Lhokseumawe, Aceh.
The 43 adults and 56 children are still waiting for certainty regarding their fate.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said preventive measures were needed to prevent Rohingya citizens from becoming victims of human trafficking.
-
Aug 16, 2020 | 05:06 am LT
Attack of Racism; Give Salute in the style of Nazi...
-
Aug 09, 2020 | 10:45 am LT
Revealed! It turns out that this is the origin of ...
-
Aug 09, 2020 | 07:46 am LT
Do not Want to Take Too Late, Philippine Capital L...
-
Aug 09, 2020 | 05:25 am LT
Still 24 Years Old, This Indian Citizen Killed Fal...
-
Aug 09, 2020 | 05:01 am LT
Tragic! Only Because of Sacrificial Meat, A Man in...
-
Aug 09, 2020 | 04:17 am LT
The Mother In-Law Got Angry at the Bride at the We...
-
Aug 16, 2020 | 05:06 am LT
Attack of Racism; Give Salute in the style of Nazi...
-
Aug 09, 2020 | 11:50 am LT
Viral Story of an old woman in Indramayu who almos...
-
Aug 09, 2020 | 10:55 am LT
Mark Zuckerberg has joined the world's most exclus...
-
Aug 09, 2020 | 10:45 am LT
Revealed! It turns out that this is the origin of ...
-
Aug 09, 2020 | 10:42 am LT
Severe! A Woman in South Tangerang is Raped After ...
-
Aug 09, 2020 | 09:34 am LT
Dor! This Man's Intestine Explodes After Eating A ...