PIDI, Indonesia (Reuters) – The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has called on countries to help the Rohingya Muslim minority adrift at sea. At least 20 Rohingya are believed to have died at sea. He also called for help for the hundreds of Rohingya who landed in Indonesia after weeks of drifting in the Indian Ocean.
Nearly 500 Rohingya have arrived in Indonesia in the past six weeks, but many countries have not responded to requests for help, UNHCR said in a statement.
A boat carrying 174 Rohingyas washed ashore on Saturday, according to authorities in the Indonesian province of Aceh on the island of Sumatra. Most were dehydrated and exhausted after weeks of drifting and needed urgent medical attention.
Survivors say the 40-day drift from Bangladesh to Indonesia killed more than 20 people and left the ship running low on food and leaking water.
“Indonesian people came here from the largest refugee camp in Bangladesh with the hope of giving us an educational opportunity,” said one survivor.
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