VZCZCXRO4568
PP RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #0205 0370845
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 060845Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1404
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS COLL
RUEHHE/AMEMBASSY HELSINKI 0943
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 3579
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE 3475
RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM 2103
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHHMUNA/USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC

UNCLAS JAKARTA 000205 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/MTS, INR/EAP, PRM/ANE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF SOCI ID
SUBJECT: ROHINGYA IN EAST ACEH RECOVERING FROM ORDEAL 
 
REF JAKARTA 0039 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary. Consulate Medan staff brought sports equipment in 
a February 5 visit to the East Aceh site camp of the 198 Rohingya 
that were rescued off of the coast of Aceh on February 3. The 
Rohingya seemed to be recovering from their ordeal well thanks to 
efforts by local officials, the Indonesian Red Cross, and the 
generosity of the local community. Some 22 Rohingya remain 
hospitalized for a variety of reasons related to their ordeal or 
abuse received prior. The Indonesian Department of Foreign Affairs 
(Deplu) arrived on February 4 to conduct interviews of the Rohingya 
at the East Aceh site. UNHCR has been promised access to this group 
in the near future. End Summary. 
¶2.  (SBU) Consulate Medan FSN staff traveled to Idie Rayeuk 
sub-district in East Aceh District on February 5 to meet with local 
officials, donate sports equipment for use by the Rohingya, and 
observe conditions at the camp and local hospital where the Rohingya 
were staying.  Medan staff met local official M. Amin and handed 
over sports equipment for the Rohingya at the sub-district office in 
a private meeting.  The local officials were very appreciative of 
the equipment since the Rohingya population had no recreational 
equipment to keep them occupied. 
 
¶3.  (U) Locals in East Aceh have been generous in both donations and 
in-kind contributions of clothing and other basic necessities for 
the Rohingya. Medan staff also witnessed one local religious leader 
(ulama) who, according to M. Amin, could speak Urdu and was 
communicating with the Rohingya. Tents provided by local government 
and the Ministry of Social Welfare (Depsos) were adequate. Also 
assisting were local boy scouts and young members of the Indonesian 
Red Cross (PMI). 
 
¶4.  (U) The local government, local Social Affairs office, and 
citizens have combined their efforts to provide rice for the 
Rohingya. PMI coordination of the relief activites seemed 
well-established but coordination among local agencies was less well 
organized. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The average age of the all-male Rohingya group was 
estimated at around 40 years old, while about 15 of the group were 
teenagers and 3 appeared to under 10 years old. Some 22 of the 
Rohingya were still hospitalized as of February 5 at the local 
general hospital with various ailments. Most of the health issues 
were digestive problems, but some suffered from bruises and injuries 
caused by beating and caning (claimed by the Rohingya to have been 
received at the hands of Thai security forces before they left 
Thailand). 
 
¶6.  (U) Local radio in Aceh and North Sumatra broadcast a statement 
on the morning of February 5 by a spokesperson for the Indonesian 
Foreign Ministry hesitating to draw any early conclusions on the 
reasons of the departure of the Rohingya from their homeland and 
providing no comment on next steps by the Indonesian government in 
the case. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Access control to the Rohingya was put in place on 
February 5 by Deplu officials. These officials cordoned off the area 
and limited public and media access while conducting their 
interviews of the Rohingya. One military officer from the Aceh 
Iskandar Muda Military Command was observed at the camp along with 5 
local police tasked to secure the area. All Rohingya were given 
badges with their name and origin information. At the same time, all 
guests were required to report to Deplu staff before being given 
permission to enter the camp. 
 
¶8. (U) Deplu has promised UNHCR access in the near future, at which 
time a thorough assessment with interpreters will be possible. In 
the meantime, the community and the GOI are taking very good care of 
the boat people. 
 
HUME