Striking Afghans now number 16<\/p>\n
Luh Putu Trisna Wahyuni and A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post,
\nMataram\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Entering their seventh day, the number of illegal Afghan
\nimmigrants on a hunger strike in a Mataram hostel rose to 16 on
\nTuesday afternoon. Nine of them have been admitted to the
\nhospital.<\/p>\n
The most recently admitted was M. Nabil, who having been on a
\nhunger strike since Friday, collapsed on Tuesday afternoon.<\/p>\n
Seven Afghans began their hunger strike last Wednesday,
\ndemanding refugee status from the United Nations High
\nCommissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and to be resettled in third
\ncountries.<\/p>\n
This week the number of hunger strikers rose to 16. The last
\nfour people to join the hunger strike on Tuesday were Muhibullah,
\n23, Reza, 33, Karim, 31 and Haji Rauf, 30.<\/p>\n
After days without food, the health of many of the hunger
\nstrikers has deteriorated sharply.<\/p>\n
Three are at the Mataram General Hospital, five at Siti Hajar
\nIslamic Hospital and another, M. Nabil, at the Kemala Hikmah
\nPolice Hospital.<\/p>\n
Although they are being treated at the hospitals, the Afghans
\nvowed they would not stop their protest.<\/p>\n
UNHCR regional representative Robert P. Ashe urged the
\nimmigrants to stop the strike.<\/p>\n
He said their protest would have no bearing on the outcome of
\na review being carried out by the body.<\/p>\n
Two and a half years ago the Afghan refugees in Mataram
\nnumbered about 200.<\/p>\n
Most were interviewed by the UNHCR, accorded refugee status
\nand transported to third countries.<\/p>\n
However, the remaining 31 families, a total of 64 immigrants,
\ndid not pass the interview held by the UNHCR last year. The
\nimmigrants lodged an appeal to the UNHCR, which forced the body
\nto conduct a review of the appeals.<\/p>\n
Ashe said the UNHCR would complete the review of its appeals
\nby March 1 this year.<\/p>\n
It would not review proposals from those who went on a hunger
\nstrike, unless they stopped the action.<\/p>\n
"The hunger strike does not provide the right climate to
\nconduct the review," Ashe told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Responding to the UNHCR, Jafar, the spokesman for the
\nimmigrants, demanded that the UNHCR send an official to Mataram
\nto meet with the immigrants.<\/p>\n
Ashe said the UNHCR would send a protection officer to Mataram
\non Wednesday.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/striking-afghans-now-number-16-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}