Jakarta, 3 September 2024 – Pope Francis demonstrated his deep concern for marginalized and overlooked groups during his arrival in Indonesia on Tuesday. Upon his arrival in Jakarta, the Pope was warmly welcomed by orphans, the sick, homeless people, and refugees at the Vatican Embassy (Nunciature) in Central Jakarta, where he greeted around 40 individuals from these marginalized communities.

“On his first day, even in his very first agenda in Indonesia, the Pope greeted people on the existential peripheries. The Pope always pays special attention to the poor, the abandoned, refugees, and victims of human trafficking,” said Martinus Dam Febrianto SJ, the Country Director of Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Indonesia, in a statement on Wednesday, 4 September 2024.

A few months earlier, JRS Indonesia proposed to Mgr. Piero Pioppo, the Apostolic Nuncio to Indonesia, that refugees be given the opportunity to meet with the Pope during his visit. The idea was positively received. The greeting upon arrival at the Nunciature was expanded to include not only refugees but also the homeless, the sick, and orphaned children. The Nuncio stated, “Let the least become the first,” emphasizing the symbolic importance of this gesture in promoting attention to marginalized groups.

Accompanied by representatives from JRS Indonesia and the Sant’Egidio community, 20 refugees from Myanmar, Afghanistan, Sudan, Somalia, and Sri Lanka were honored to welcome Pope Francis during his 45th apostolic journey. Over the course of 12 days, His Holiness is scheduled to visit Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Singapore, where he will meet with the most vulnerable, government officials, religious leaders, and missionaries, while also engaging in interreligious dialogues.

Life in Indonesia can be extremely challenging for asylum seekers and refugees. Without the right to work, they struggle to meet their basic needs and are forced to rely on humanitarian aid from organizations such as UNHCR, IOM, and NGOs like JRS Indonesia. Access to basic necessities, healthcare, and education is limited, and integration is impossible under current policies. Even efforts to live alongside local residents while awaiting resettlement are met with resistance.

JRS Indonesia supports refugees and asylum seekers living in urban settings in Bogor and Jakarta by providing financial assistance for daily needs, including access to healthcare, as well as psychosocial and educational activities. “Our approach is to collaborate with refugees in operating centers, such as education centers, and in creating psychosocial activities like handicrafts, sewing, tailoring, and educational or language learning programs. We do all of these things together with them,” explained Fr. Dam. “Previously, we had a JRS learning center, but now we call it the refugee community center.”

JRS is also active in refugee camps in Aceh Province, where there has been an increase in Rohingya landings over the past year. In addition to participating in emergency response efforts, JRS advocates for the disembarkation and protection of refugees through coordination with other organizations, workshops, and public awareness campaigns.

Several refugees expressed their gratitude and hopes following their encounter with the Holy Father. Feruzul, a Rohingya refugee, described the meeting with Pope Francis as a precious moment and an honor, expressing his enthusiasm for the visit. Bibi Rahima, a refugee from Afghanistan, thanked the Pope for being the best advocate for refugees, emphasizing the need for broader and continuous advocacy efforts. Tariq, a refugee from Sudan, expressed his gratitude for the Pope’s attention to the global refugee situation and urged him to push for increased resettlement opportunities from Indonesia. Zakaria, a refugee from Somalia, highlighted the recent cuts in UNHCR assistance, stressing that refugees in Indonesia are now living in dire conditions and urgently need help.