by Hafizur Rahman
Pekanbaru, Indonesia | May 20, 2026
Hundreds of Rohingya refugees living in Pekanbaru, Riau Province, Indonesia, say they are facing a worsening humanitarian crisis as many families continue to survive without proper shelter, food support, healthcare, or education assistance.
According to Rohingya community members, several refugees recently gathered in front of an office linked to the International Organization for Migration in Pekanbaru to raise awareness about their living conditions and demand equal humanitarian support.
Community members said many Rohingya refugees who arrived in Indonesia after 2018 are no longer receiving accommodation or financial assistance. As a result, hundreds of families are reportedly living in makeshift camps or small rented houses without stable support.
“We escaped genocide and persecution hoping to find safety,” one Rohingya refugee in Pekanbaru told Rohingya Khobor. “But now many of us are homeless and struggling for basic human needs. We only want to live with dignity like other refugees.”
According to estimates shared by Rohingya community members, more than 1,300 Rohingya refugees are currently living in Pekanbaru. Among them, over 600 people are staying in temporary makeshift camps, while more than 700 others are living independently in rented homes.
Many refugees said their conditions worsened after international funding cuts affected humanitarian operations in Indonesia. Refugees explained that those who arrived before 2018 continue receiving support through earlier assistance programmes, while most people arriving after 2018 remain without regular aid.
“Families, women, children, and elderly people are suffering every day,” another refugee said. “Some children cannot continue education, and many families cannot afford food, medicine, or rent.”
Refugees in Pekanbaru also described differences in treatment between regions in Indonesia. According to several community members, Rohingya refugees in Aceh face stricter movement restrictions because local authorities closely monitor refugee arrivals by sea. In Pekanbaru, however, refugees said they can move more freely despite continuing struggles to survive without organized humanitarian assistance.
Despite the hardships, Rohingya refugees expressed gratitude toward Indonesian communities for showing kindness and compassion.
“The people of Indonesia have shown humanity to us,” one refugee said. “Many local people respect us and help us when they can. We are thankful for their kindness during our difficult lives.”
The refugees called on humanitarian organizations, international agencies, and human rights groups to pay greater attention to their conditions and provide equal humanitarian support to Rohingya communities living in Indonesia.
“We are not asking for luxury,” another refugee said. “We only want safety, shelter, food, education for our children, and the chance to live as human beings.”
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