Indonesian Students Storm Convention Center, Demand Deportation of Rohingya Refugees

A large group of Indonesian students reportedly stormed a convention center in Banda Aceh, where hundreds of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar were sheltered, demanding their deportation, reported CNN.

The incident reflects increasing hostility towards Rohingya refugees in Indonesia, with locals frustrated over the surge in arrivals. President Joko Widodo attributes the rise to human trafficking and pledges collaboration with international organizations for temporary shelter.

The situation has led to protests, with some students calling for deportation, citing the refugees as uninvited. The UNHCR expresses alarm at the reports of rejection, while Indonesia, not a signatory to the UN Convention on Refugees, has historically accepted refugees.