Cilacap seeks help to deal with 138 Afghan refugees
Cilacap seeks help to deal with 138 Afghan refugees
CILACAP, Central Java (JP): Cilacap Regent Heri Tabri Karta
requested on Thursday that the central government and the office
of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) help
the local administration deal with 138 refugees from Afghanistan
who have been staying in the regency town of Nusakambangan since
Aug. 16.
"The central government, in this case the Ministry of Home
Affairs, should take over responsibility for the Afghan refugees
as they are becoming a burden to the Cilacap regency
administration," Heri told reporters.
"They should be transferred to Jakarta."
He said that the UNHCR had promised to accommodate the
refugees 10 days ago.
"It's been more than 10 days since their arrival on
Nusakambangan (prison island) on Aug. 16. The UNHCR should keep
its promise to see to all the refugees' accommodation," the
regent said.
The regent's office, the penitentiary and the Cilacap
Immigration Office have been burdened by additional daily
expenses of about Rp 6,000 for each of the 138 refugees.
"We want to know for certain when they will leave. We object
to their presence here," Tabri said.
A boat carrying at least 134 Afghans sank in waters eight
miles south of Nusakambangan island. Two people, including a
toddler, died of starvation as the boat passengers run out of
food.
The Afghans, who possessed no passports or other immigration
documents, claimed to be tourists who were heading for Christmas
Island in Australia.
They did not disclose what motivated them to quit their
country.
Roni, a UNHCR staff member, had asked the Cilacap authorities
to accommodate the Afghan refugees at local hotels when he
visited the refugees soon after their arrival on Aug. 16.
"The illogical request was turned down," the regent said at
that time.
For security reasons following the attempt by several refugees
to escape from their current shelter, the Nusakambangan
quarantine center, they have been transferred to Batu prison, a
special block for inmates convicted for drug offenses. The prison
block is part of Nusakambangan Penitentiary.
Escape
Meanwhile, Middle Eastern immigrants who illegally entered
Pekanbaru in Riau province and Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara, have
lost patience and some have escaped from the quarantine center.
Head of Pekanbaru Immigration Office R. Sukohariadi Basuki
said on Thursday that the illegal immigrants had threatened to
set ablaze the quarantine center.
"The immigrants are tired of being locked up and prohibited to
leave the compound, and one of them is very ill," Sukohariadi
said. They have been held by the authorities since they arrived
five days ago by bus from North Sumatra.
He said that the ill person would be treated in hospital. "But
we will never give him VIP services. That would be impossible."
He said that the 22 immigrants, who had no passports or
immigration papers, were all Iraqis. "We told them not to make a
commotion or we would report them to the Iraqi Embassy in
Jakarta."
Sukohariadi said that his office would keep the immigrants at
the quarantine center pending the arrival of UNHCR representative
from Jakarta. "UNHCR will decide if the Iraqis are refugees or
immigrants. If they are refugees the UNHCR will handle them."
Meanwhile, 15 out of 251 Middle Eastern people being
"detained" at Wisma Nusantara in Ampenan, West Nusa Tenggara, for
illegal entry have escaped.
Manager of the 56-room Wisma Nusantara, Abdurrahman RS, said
that the number of escapees might have increased. "Some rooms
look empty and no one will say where the room occupants have
gone."
Meanwhile West Nusa Tenggara Police spokesman Adj.Comr. Tri
Budi Pangastuti said that all exits from the city had been
tightly guarded following the immigrants' escape.
The 251 illegal immigrants were stranded on Bima island last
month and were moved to the provincial capital of Mataram last
week. Their legal status has yet to be determined.
The immigrants consist of 248 Iraqis and three Afghans. Fifty six
of the refugees are children. (45/37/sur)