Hundreds of university students in Indonesia’s Banda Aceh city stormed a convention centre that was providing temporary shelter to Rohingya refugees and forcefully moved them to another location in the city. According to the United Nations, over 1000 refugees had fled persecution in Myanmar and arrived in Indonesia by boat in recent months.

Reacting to the incident that took place on 27th December 2023, UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency, stated that it was disturbed by the mob attack and eviction of the 137 Rohingya refugees in Banda Aceh and called on local law enforcement authorities “for urgent action to ensure protection of all desperate individuals and humanitarian staff.” It reminded that refugees seeking shelter are victims of persecution and conflict and are survivors of deadly sea journey.

Stating that the attack on refugees is not an isolated act but the result of a coordinated online campaign of misinformation, disinformation and hate speech against refugees and an attempt to malign Indonesia’s efforts to save desperate lives in distress at sea, UNHCR alerted the general public to be aware of such campaigns that incite hate and put lives in danger.