Cilacap seeks help to deal with 138 Afghan refugees<\/p>\n
CILACAP, Central Java (JP): Cilacap Regent Heri Tabri Karta
\nrequested on Thursday that the central government and the office
\nof the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) help
\nthe local administration deal with 138 refugees from Afghanistan
\nwho have been staying in the regency town of Nusakambangan since
\nAug. 16.<\/p>\n
\"The central government, in this case the Ministry of Home
\nAffairs, should take over responsibility for the Afghan refugees
\nas they are becoming a burden to the Cilacap regency
\nadministration,\" Heri told reporters.<\/p>\n
\"They should be transferred to Jakarta.\"<\/p>\n
He said that the UNHCR had promised to accommodate the
\nrefugees 10 days ago.<\/p>\n
\"It's been more than 10 days since their arrival on
\nNusakambangan (prison island) on Aug. 16. The UNHCR should keep
\nits promise to see to all the refugees' accommodation,\" the
\nregent said.<\/p>\n
The regent's office, the penitentiary and the Cilacap
\nImmigration Office have been burdened by additional daily
\nexpenses of about Rp 6,000 for each of the 138 refugees.<\/p>\n
\"We want to know for certain when they will leave. We object
\nto their presence here,\" Tabri said.<\/p>\n
A boat carrying at least 134 Afghans sank in waters eight
\nmiles south of Nusakambangan island. Two people, including a
\ntoddler, died of starvation as the boat passengers run out of
\nfood.<\/p>\n
The Afghans, who possessed no passports or other immigration
\ndocuments, claimed to be tourists who were heading for Christmas
\nIsland in Australia.<\/p>\n
They did not disclose what motivated them to quit their
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
Roni, a UNHCR staff member, had asked the Cilacap authorities
\nto accommodate the Afghan refugees at local hotels when he
\nvisited the refugees soon after their arrival on Aug. 16.<\/p>\n
\"The illogical request was turned down,\" the regent said at
\nthat time.<\/p>\n
For security reasons following the attempt by several refugees
\nto escape from their current shelter, the Nusakambangan
\nquarantine center, they have been transferred to Batu prison, a
\nspecial block for inmates convicted for drug offenses. The prison
\nblock is part of Nusakambangan Penitentiary.<\/p>\n
Escape<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Middle Eastern immigrants who illegally entered
\nPekanbaru in Riau province and Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara, have
\nlost patience and some have escaped from the quarantine center.<\/p>\n
Head of Pekanbaru Immigration Office R. Sukohariadi Basuki
\nsaid on Thursday that the illegal immigrants had threatened to
\nset ablaze the quarantine center.<\/p>\n
\"The immigrants are tired of being locked up and prohibited to
\nleave the compound, and one of them is very ill,\" Sukohariadi
\nsaid. They have been held by the authorities since they arrived
\nfive days ago by bus from North Sumatra.<\/p>\n
He said that the ill person would be treated in hospital. \"But
\nwe will never give him VIP services. That would be impossible.\"<\/p>\n
He said that the 22 immigrants, who had no passports or
\nimmigration papers, were all Iraqis. \"We told them not to make a
\ncommotion or we would report them to the Iraqi Embassy in
\nJakarta.\"<\/p>\n
Sukohariadi said that his office would keep the immigrants at
\nthe quarantine center pending the arrival of UNHCR representative
\nfrom Jakarta. \"UNHCR will decide if the Iraqis are refugees or
\nimmigrants. If they are refugees the UNHCR will handle them.\"<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, 15 out of 251 Middle Eastern people being
\n\"detained\" at Wisma Nusantara in Ampenan, West Nusa Tenggara, for
\nillegal entry have escaped.<\/p>\n
Manager of the 56-room Wisma Nusantara, Abdurrahman RS, said
\nthat the number of escapees might have increased. \"Some rooms
\nlook empty and no one will say where the room occupants have
\ngone.\"<\/p>\n
Meanwhile West Nusa Tenggara Police spokesman Adj.Comr. Tri
\nBudi Pangastuti said that all exits from the city had been
\ntightly guarded following the immigrants' escape.<\/p>\n
The 251 illegal immigrants were stranded on Bima island last
\nmonth and were moved to the provincial capital of Mataram last
\nweek. Their legal status has yet to be determined.<\/p>\n
The immigrants consist of 248 Iraqis and three Afghans. Fifty six
\nof the refugees are children. (45\/37\/sur)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/cilacap-seeks-help-to-deal-with-138-afghan-refugees-1447893297",
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