Migrants From Bangladesh, Myanmar Find Haven in Aceh
2015.05.15
By Nurdin Hasan
Fishermen in Indonesia’s westernmost province of Aceh have rescued 1,315 migrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh from two boats in the Strait of Malacca in the last week.
Migrants rescued Friday told BenarNews their boat left Bangladesh two months ago and they had already been towed back out to sea by Indonesian and Malaysian navy ships.
When fishermen found the boat 40 miles from the coast, many people including women and children were floating in the water, said Marzuki Ramli, 45, who helped rescue the migrants.
“People were screaming for help. We pulled them from the sea into our boat,” he said.
Many people jumped or were thrown into the water after fighting broke out between the two migrant groups over food and water, rescued men told BenarNews.
Friday’s group included 74 women and 63 children, including 30 babies, according to a preliminary count by officials in Kuala Langsa, East Aceh.
“If the Acehnese fishermen hadn’t come to help us, maybe we would all be dead,” said Muhammad Koyes, a 19-year-old man from Bangladesh. “We swam we don’t know in what direction for about six hours before the fishermen pulled us out.”
A total of 584 migrants rescued May 10 are being housed in a fishing warehouse in Kuala Cangkoi, North Aceh.
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