230 refugees stranded on Rote island<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
At least 230 asylum-seekers from Middle Eastern countries were
\nstranded on Rote island in East Nusa Tenggara province after
\nstrong waves and high winds prevented them from sailing through
\nto their destination, Australia, an East Nusa Tenggara police
\nspokesman said on Friday.<\/p>\n
\"They are temporarily sheltered at the Kupang State Police
\nSchool together with 243 other refugees taken in late October,\"
\nEast Nusa Tenggara Police Spokesman C. Wanton said, as Antara
\nreported.<\/p>\n
Police authorities rushed to Rote, a small island southwest of
\nKupang, the provincial capital, after receiving reports from
\nlocal people about the refugees' presence, Wanton said.<\/p>\n
He said the refugees consisted of 211 males, including a
\nthree-month old boy, and 32 females from Afghanistan (190
\nrefugees), Pakistan (47), Iraq (four), and Iran (two)<\/p>\n
According to Wanton, the refugees all intended to go to
\nAustralia.<\/p>\n
Escorted by police, the refugees were ferried to Kupang on
\nThursday evening in fishing boats. They were brought to the
\nKupang State Police School, where another 243 refugees have been
\nsince October.<\/p>\n
\"Our job is only protecting and overseeing them, while their
\ndaily needs are being taken care of by IOM (International
\nOrganization for Migration), just like the other 243 refugees,\"
\nhe added.<\/p>\n
The news agency did not mention the refugees' port of
\nembarkation or whether police authorities detained any crew
\nmembers from the boat attempting to smuggle the refugees into
\nAustralia.<\/p>\n
According to Wanton, Rote, the southern most island in Asia
\nand the Indonesian archipelago, has often been used as a final
\nstepping stone for illegal immigrants wishing to enter Australia
\nbecause of its proximity to the state of Western Australia.<\/p>\n
Less than two weeks ago, East Nusa Tenggara police also
\napprehended 243 refugees from Middle Eastern countries after
\ntheir boat was prevented from entering Australian waters by
\nAustralia's Navy. They had reportedly entered Australian waters
\nbut were pushed back by the Navy, forcing them to return to
\nIndonesian waters and landing on Rote.<\/p>\n
East Nusa Tenggara police are now coordinating with IOM and
\nthe United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for their
\npossible transfer to Jakarta, Wanton said.<\/p>\n
Earlier, some 170 refugees, also from Middle Eastern
\ncountries, were stranded on a small island off Sumbawa after the
\nboat they had hijacked developed engine trouble.<\/p>\n
The issue of illegal refugees from Middle Eastern countries
\nhas become a sore point in Indonesia's relations with Australia,
\nespecially after Canberra refused entry to more than 400 asylum-
\nseekers rescued from an Indonesian boat sinking on Australian
\nwaters, and demanded their rescuer, the crew of a European
\ntanker, to take them to back to Indonesia.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/230-refugees-stranded-on-rote-island-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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