Afghan immigrants flee Nusakambangan island<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The directorate general of immigration confirmed
\non Monday the escape of several illegal Afghan immigrants from
\nthe detention center on Nusakambangan island, off the south coast
\nof Central Java.<\/p>\n
Muhammad Indra, the director of Immigration Supervision and
\nControl at the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, said there
\nwere no reports yet on the exact number of escapees.<\/p>\n
\"I've called the head of the Cilacap regency immigration
\noffice on the matter. He said only several illegal immigrants had
\nfled the island,\" he said from his office.<\/p>\n
The illegal immigrants escaped on Saturday from the Wisma Sari
\ndetention facility on Nusakambangan island after several foiled
\nattempts.<\/p>\n
The estimate given by Indra differed from that of a staff
\nmember at the Cilacap immigration office.<\/p>\n
Kholid, the Cilacap immigration staff member, told The Jakarta
\nPost on Sunday that most of the Afghan immigrants sheltered on
\nthe island had fled.<\/p>\n
\"There are only 31 of them left,\" he told the Post.<\/p>\n
He said that the head of Batu Penitentiary in the town of
\nNusakambangan, who is in charge of the illegal immigrants'
\ndetention, had yet to provide details on the escape.<\/p>\n
Cilacap regent Heri Tabri Karta claimed there were 134 illegal
\nimmigrants from Afghanistan being sheltered on the island.<\/p>\n
Security guards on duty confirmed on Sunday the escape but
\ncould not give details on how it was executed or what measures
\nwould be taken to find them.<\/p>\n
The Afghans were confined to the island after they were found
\nadrift on the Indian Ocean, without fuel or food, and headed for
\nAustralia. They carried no travel documents and claimed they were
\ntourists.<\/p>\n
They tried leaving the island twice before because they said
\nthey found the shelter inconvenient.<\/p>\n
Indra said that as soon as the office had more details on the
\nescape he would order all immigration posts and the police to
\nlook for the escapees.<\/p>\n
\"We suspect that they will proceed with sailing to Australia.
\nWe will find them and bring them back.<\/p>\n
\"But the next question is where are we going to put them,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Indra argued that the escape was inevitable due to the absence
\nof sufficient quarantine facilities and no one should take the
\nblame as the issue of illegal immigrants needed comprehensive
\nsupervision. (45\/bby)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/afghan-immigrants-flee-nusakambangan-island-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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