Batam rejects Aceh refugees<\/p>\n
Fadli
\nThe Jakarta Post\/Batam<\/p>\n
Dozens of survivors of the quake-triggered tsunami have found
\nthey cannot even enter Batam to find their relatives. Authorities
\ndenied them entry because they failed to meet requirements as
\nstated in the city's regulations.<\/p>\n
Under Batam Bylaw No. 2\/2001 on population control, any
\nvisitor requesting to temporarily stay in the city has to produce
\nan identity card as well as a return ticket and a deposit.<\/p>\n
On of the refugees, Maswir, said on Thursday that he came to
\nBatam after finding out that refugee camps in Medan and Banda
\nAceh were not fit to live in.<\/p>\n
\"I came here because I have relatives in Batam, but it turns
\nout that there are just so many requirements to enter the
\nisland,\" Maswir sighed. \"The authorities asked many things like a
\nreturn ticket, my relatives' address, as well as deposit money.\"<\/p>\n
The 34-year-old arrived in Batam with 30 other refugees from
\nAceh on Wednesday, by ship from Medan. \"My ticket was given to me
\nby people who felt sorry for me,\" Maswir said.<\/p>\n
The refugees failed to show proper identification and deposit
\nmoney. Every person arriving by sea is required to deposit Rp
\n130,000 (US$14) per day to the authorities before being granted
\nentry to the city.<\/p>\n
The refugees were sent to the Sekupang Transit House where
\nthey had to spend the night until the next ship arrived to take
\nthem back to where they had came from.<\/p>\n
Head of Batam's population and civil registration office,
\nBuralimar, said he was aware of the refugees' arrival in the
\ncity, ostensibly to seek help from their relatives.<\/p>\n
According to office data, there were 35 people who were
\ncurrently staying at the transit house.<\/p>\n
He dismissed the suggestion that such regulations were
\ninsensitive to the plight of tsunami survivors. \"There have been
\npeople claiming to be tsunami victims but it turned out they were
\njust looking for jobs,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/batam-rejects-aceh-refugees-1447893297",
"image": ""
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