"We will attend to all humanitarian needs of the refugees," he affirmed in his office.
The vice president stated that the government had agreed to accommodate the refugees but said it also required international cooperation in dealing with the issue.
However, the refugees from Bangladesh, who are all male adults, are economic refugees. As they did not flee their country due to any humanitarian crisis they faced there, they have to be deported, Kalla explained.
With regard to the refugees who fled their country due to humanitarian issues, he noted that Indonesia, as a big nation, will not drive them away.
He also emphasized on Indonesias focus on Pancasila (five principles), with one of its tenets being "just and civilized humanity."
If the number of refugees is large, they might be accommodated in a certain location considered fit for them, Kalla pointed out.
Furthermore, Governor of Aceh Zaini Abdullah reported the issue of the refugees to the vice president on Wednesday.
"We have worked hard, but we also have limits," he remarked.
He added that the Aceh government had, so far, provided them with temporary shelter, besides the food and clothing contributed by the people.
The total funds collected from the region amounted to some Rp1 billion, he noted, adding that it will be used to take care of about 1,800 refugees.
According to data from the Aceh government, the refugees had arrived in the region in two batches, with the first batch comprising 576 arriving at the coast of Lapang in North Aceh on May 10.
The refugees in the first batch consisted of 247 Bangladeshis, who were all male adults, and 329 ethnic Rohingyas from Myanmar, including 168 male adults, 69 female adults and 92 children.
The second batch of 1,390 refugees arrived on May 15 through the waters of Langsa and Aceh Tamiang.
The governor of Aceh said that the vice president had instructed him to seek help from the UNHCR and the IOM to deal with the problem.
Reporting by Muhammad Razi Rahman
(T.M040/H-YH/INE)
EDITED BY INE/a014
(T.SYS/B/KR-BSR/A014)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2015
