841 foreigners deported in 2000

841 foreigners deported in 2000

JAKARTA: Indonesia deported 841 foreign citizens in 2001 for
violations of immigration regulations, an immigration official
said here on Wednesday.

Muhammad Indra, director for immigration control of foreign
nationals, at the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, said the
violations ranged from overstaying, stay permit abuses, illegal
entry and the use of fake visas.

Data at the Directorate General of Immigration shows that the
number of deportees has increased over the past three years, from
479 in 1998 and 585 in 1999 to 660 in 2000.

Indra said in a press statement that the foreigners came
mostly from Pakistan, China, South Korea, and Afghanistan.

The immigration office frequently asked assistance from
embassies of the respective countries or relatives of the
foreigners for financial help to deport them, Indra said.

The immigration office reported that 1,663 illegal immigrants
entered Indonesia last year. According to UNHCR reports, 478
received refugee status, 898 were categorized as asylum seekers
and 23 were sent to a third country.--JP