Aid offices protest foreigners' handling<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA: Two legal aid offices have criticized police and
\nthe immigration department in their handling of 19 foreigners who
\nswam to Glagah Beach in Temon, Kulon Progo, last week.<\/p>\n
They said that despite the immigration's suspicion that the
\nforeigners may have broken the law, the authorities had not acted
\nthoroughly.<\/p>\n
The foreigners -- one of whom disappeared from Bethesda
\nHospital after receiving treatment for an as yet unidentified
\nillness -- should have been detained and questioned, according to
\nA. Budi Hartono of Yogyakarta Legal Aid.<\/p>\n
Budi said the police and immigration department had, instead,
\nblamed each other for the incident.<\/p>\n
Busro Muqqodas from the Legal Aid Office of the Indonesian
\nIslamic University concurred, saying the police should have
\nchecked the foreigners' documents before releasing them to their
\nrespective embassies.<\/p>\n
The foreigners swam to Glagah Beach, some 45 kilometers west
\nof Yogyakarta last Saturday after jumping off their ship, which
\nhad been abandoned by its crew. Reports said they consisted of 11
\nFrench nationals, three Italians, two Afghans, a Belgian, an
\nAlgerian and a Swiss citizen.<\/p>\n
Eighteen were transported to Jakarta on Tuesday for further
\nquestioning, while the remaining foreigner was left behind for
\nmedical treatment at the hospital.<\/p>\n
Identified as Dora Peter of France, 35, the man asked
\npermission from the nurses on duty to make a call from a nearby
\npay phone. He never returned and the police and immigration
\nofficials have started to trade blame. (23)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/aid-offices-protest-foreigners-handling-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}