Transparency called for in granting of asylum<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia has called on the United Nations High
\nCommission for Refugees (UNHCR) for transparency in its granting
\nof refugee status to asylum seekers here.<\/p>\n
The call was made on Thursday by Zaiman Nurmatias, the
\nImmigration Office's Director for Control and Enactment Affairs,
\nafter he opened the two-day UNHCR Workshop for immigration,
\npolice and related officials.<\/p>\n
He said \"unilateral decisions should no longer be made, and it
\nis necessary for relevant parties to build a common understanding
\nas to who should be granted status as refugees.\"<\/p>\n
The UNHCR was currently the sole body authorized to examine
\npeople illegally entering Indonesia and determine whether the
\nstatus of refugee was justified. Zaiman insisted government
\nofficials should have the same authority as Indonesia wanted to
\naccept only people with certain expertise and skills capable of
\ncontributing to its development.<\/p>\n
\"I am hoping the workshop bridges differences on the criteria
\nfor refugees,\" Zaiman said about the event being attended at the
\nMillennium Hotel by around 25 representatives of the Ministry of
\nForeign Affairs, the National Police, the Immigration Office, and
\nother relevant officials.<\/p>\n
The UNHCR regional representative in Indonesia, Staffan
\nBodemar, said in his opening remarks that: \"Asylum seekers and
\nrefugees are part of humanity. One of the basic human rights in
\ninternational law is the right of an individual to seek and enjoy
\nasylum.\"<\/p>\n
According to Bodemar, Indonesia continues to receive a small
\nnumber of asylum seekers and refugees from countries in the
\nMiddle East, north Africa and even central Africa.<\/p>\n
This is a reflection of crisis situations, often manifested in
\nopen and bitter conflict, sometimes resulting in severe
\npersecution of individuals, he said.<\/p>\n
However, amid great transition in a world filled with crises
\nof many kinds in many places, Southeast Asia, including
\nIndonesia, has not seen a major refugee crisis since 1996 after
\nthe departure of almost all the Vietnamese refugees, he said.<\/p>\n
He noted that the closest refugee populations are those in
\nThailand -- some 100,000 Myanmar people and 30,000 Cambodian
\nrefugees -- as well as those in Australia.<\/p>\n
\"It is fortunate for the Indonesian authorities and for the
\nUNHCR office in Jakarta, that the number of refugees in the
\ncountry is small,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Bodemar said that last year, the UNHCR office in Indonesia
\nreceived 99 applications for asylum.<\/p>\n
The office has also recorded 47 refugees in the country,
\nincluding the 14 remaining Vietnamese living in Tanjung Pinang
\ndistrict, Riau province, he added.<\/p>\n
\"There may of course be others who have not approached our
\noffice, and who have addressed themselves directly to the
\nIndonesian authorities or to other diplomatic missions,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Bodemar said some of the refugees who have come to Indonesia
\nhave begun to integrate themselves in the country by learning the
\nlanguage, making new friends, even marrying Indonesians, and
\njoining the large informal economic sector in the place where
\nthey have chosen to stay.<\/p>\n
\"It is a varied and complex process. Each individual poses
\nspecific problems and also has specific needs,\" he said. (01)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/transparency-called-for-in-granting-of-asylum-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}