Arakan News Agency | Exclusive
Families of two young Rohingya refugees who died in Indonesia due to lack of adequate and urgent medical care revealed the tragic details of their deaths in a hospital in Pekanbaru, Riau Province.
Two young Rohingya men; Asadullah, 25, and Muhammad Ullah, 20, died. Asadullah left behind a wife and baby girl, while Muhammad Ullah died shortly after his marriage.
Asadullah’s family explained to Arakan News Agency that the young man had been suffering for months from hepatitis C and its complications, including Edema and other symptoms. His condition was serious, but he couldn’t afford the high costs of treatment.
The young man’s family added that he frequently visited the private clinic in Pekanbaru many times, attempted to get admitted into hospital for treatment, but was unable to do so until he reached the final stages of his illness; his visit to Syafira hospital, where he died, was his first and last one.
Asadullah tried to obtain assistance from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) medical teams providing treatment and care to Rohingya refugees in Pekanbaru, but his condition wasn’t prioritized till it deteriorated significantly, his family added.
Asadullah suffered greatly over the past two months; unable to work to provide for his daily needs and unable to receive humanitarian assistance due to his living in a rented room outside the refugee camps, in which he had no place to live.
His family currently relies on the regular monthly financial assistance provided by the IOM without any additional support, while his relatives care for his young widow and infant daughter.
A Tragedy repeated
The young man, Muhammad Ullah, was suffering from advanced jaundice and several health problems. Before his death, he said that he was suffering greatly, but he hadn’t received the necessary medical care.
His family and friends confirmed that the young man was admitted to the hospital but didn’t receive adequate treatment for his terminal condition. He visited the hospital several times but had to return home after waiting hours without receiving treatment. This continued until his death.
Muhammad Ullah’s family revealed that he suffered for approximately three months before his death. He was able to resist the disease but ultimately died due to a lack of proper treatment.
His family relies on monthly support provided by IOM to Rohingya refugees in Pekanbaru, without receiving any additional assistance from any other organization.
The families of the two young men expressed their concerns to Arakan News Agency that the lack of adequate medical treatment and healthcare could lead to the deaths of more Rohingya youth in Indonesia, calling for improving the living conditions for Rohingya refugees in Pekanbaru.
According to United Nations data, there are approximately 3,000 Rohingya refugees in Indonesia, although the actual number is believed to be higher. Indonesia is one of the most popular destinations for Rohingya refugees, and while it isn’t a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention, It asserts that it can’t be forced to accept refugees from Myanmar. Instead, it calls on neighboring countries to share the burden and resettle Rohingya arriving on its shores.
Rohingya refugees usually embark on dangerous sea journeys, some of which have claimed their lives, in the hope of reaching Malaysia or Indonesia in search of safety. They fled persecution and violence in Myanmar, particularly after the 2017 “genocide,” as well as the dire living conditions in refugee camps in Bangladesh, which host nearly a million of them.
