Afghan immigrants flee Nusakambangan island

Afghan immigrants flee Nusakambangan island

JAKARTA (JP): The directorate general of immigration confirmed
on Monday the escape of several illegal Afghan immigrants from
the detention center on Nusakambangan island, off the south coast
of Central Java.

Muhammad Indra, the director of Immigration Supervision and
Control at the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, said there
were no reports yet on the exact number of escapees.

"I've called the head of the Cilacap regency immigration
office on the matter. He said only several illegal immigrants had
fled the island," he said from his office.

The illegal immigrants escaped on Saturday from the Wisma Sari
detention facility on Nusakambangan island after several foiled
attempts.

The estimate given by Indra differed from that of a staff
member at the Cilacap immigration office.

Kholid, an immigration staff member, told The Jakarta Post on
Sunday that most of the Afghan immigrants sheltered on the island
had fled.

"There are only 31 of them left," he told the Post.

He said that the head of Batu Penitentiary in the town of
Nusakambangan, who is in charge of the illegal immigrants'
detention, had yet to provide details on the escape.

Cilacap regent Heri Tabri Karta claimed there were 134 illegal
immigrants from Afghanistan being sheltered on the island.

Security guards on duty confirmed on Sunday the escape but
could not give details on how it was executed or what measures
would be taken to find them.

The Afghans were confined to the island after they were found
adrift on the Indian Ocean, without fuel or food, and headed for
Australia. They carried no travel documents and claimed they were
tourists.

They tried leaving the island twice before because they said
they found the shelter inconvenient.

Indra said that as soon as the office had more details on the
escape he would order all immigration posts and the police to
look for the escapees.

"We suspect that they will proceed with sailing to Australia.
We will find them and bring them back.

"But the next question is where are we going to put them," he
said.

Indra argued that the escape was inevitable due to the absence
of sufficient quarantine facilities and no one should take the
blame as the issue of illegal immigrants needed comprehensive
supervision. (45/bby)