JP\/5\/D00<\/p>\n
Vietnamese boat people in limbo<\/p>\n
BATAM, Riau: Officials on the industrial island of Batam said
\nthey were waiting for instructions on what to do with the 31
\nVietnamese boat people who arrived on the island last week.<\/p>\n
The outgoing chief of Batam's immigration office, Mardjono,
\nsaid his office was waiting for the International Organization
\nfor Migration (IOM) to decide on the matter.<\/p>\n
\"The IOM hasn't decided whether we should send the migrants
\nhome or to a third country,\" Mardjono said during a ceremony on
\nFriday to install his replacement, Budi Harmanto.<\/p>\n
He said the 31 boat people were being housed in quarantine
\nshelters pending a decision from the IOM, which is consulting
\nwith the Vietnamese government.<\/p>\n
The Vietnamese were trying to reach Australia when their boat
\ndeveloped engine problems off the coast of Riau last week.
\nAnother group of boat people stopped on Batam days earlier to
\nrepair their boat before continuing on to Australia. It is not
\nclear how many people were on board.<\/p>\n
Officials in East Kalimantan gave 41 boat people fuel and food
\nlast month so they could continue their trip to Australia,
\nprompting complaints from Canberra.<\/p>\n
Australia wants Indonesia to help it prevent illegal migrants
\nfrom entering its waters. -- Antara<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp5d00-1447899208",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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