In early December, hundreds of Rohingya refugees walked along the shore of Aceh province in Indonesia, with nothing to guide them but the faint glow of lights in a nearby village.

Ann Mayman, UNHCR’s representative in Indonesia, says social media posts related to Rohingya were appearing “on multiple platforms, with similar messages and it was professionally [made] content.

A separate post claimed a Myanman leader – it is not clear who specifically – had said Rohingya people are hard to control, live dirtily, defecate anywhere, are lazy, eat a lot and get married many times.

A few small-scale protests against their arrival had occurred in 2021 and 2022, due to disagreements over where refugees should stay, but continued talks and engagement with locals had eased this, Azharul adds.

Yogi Febriandi, head of the Department of Islamic Political Thought at IAIN Langsa, Aceh, says that while there are local concerns about security and resources, people do not want to see aggressive protests against Rohingya.

The local official who spoke to the Guardian wants the Jakarta government to provide an alternative place for the refugees, not least because he fears they are now exposed to heavy rains and winds.

Saved 82% of original text.