460 foreigners deported for violating immigration law

JAKARTA (JP): The rising trend in deportations from Indonesia has continued as the Directorate General for Immigration expelled 460 foreigners of 50 different nationalities this year.

Zaiman Nurmatias, director of immigration supervision and control, said this year's number continued the upward trend which he expects to carry on next year.

Without breaking down the specific details, Zaiman said the largest numbers deported were from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Netherlands, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Thailand and the United States.

All those deported were found to have violated Immigration Law No. 9/1992.

"They were deported for a number of reasons, among them for overstaying, abusing their stay permits or not having any documents at all. But most were sent home for overstaying," Zaiman remarked Wednesday.

The number of deportees has continued to rise in the last three years. In 1996 316 people were deported, while last year there were 440.

"I think that next year there will be even more immigration violations. As a reflection of globalization the offenses have become more sophisticated, such as in the use of phony visas," Zaiman said.

He admits that for his office it is more practical to deport immigration violators than taking them to court.

"It's more effective and a lot faster," he said.

Nevertheless Zaiman said that not all countries were as cooperative in dealing with immigration offenders who do not have sufficient funds or a ticket out of the country.

He noted that many countries would not be willing to send their own nationals home.

"While awaiting deportation those foreigners are put into quarantine. At the moment we have 504 foreigners still in quarantine waiting to be sent home," he explained. (mds)