Immigration monitors 261 foreign nationals in Central Papua

The Papua Regional Office of the Directorate General of Immigration is optimising supervision of 261 foreign nationals in Central Papua through cross-agency coordination within the Foreigner Supervision Team (Timpora).

Head of the Papua Regional Office of the Directorate General of Immigration Samuel Toba said in Nabire on Wednesday that supervising foreign nationals requires the involvement of various agencies, not only Immigration.

“Supervision of foreign nationals is not entirely the responsibility of Immigration Office officials or staff. Rather, it is a shared responsibility,” he said.

According to Samuel, there are currently 33 companies in Central Papua employing foreign workers, with around 261 foreign nationals recorded.

Timpora serves as a platform for inter-agency information exchange to ensure that the presence and activities of foreign nationals comply with permits and statutory provisions.

Once entry permits are granted, supervision is carried out jointly by agencies according to their respective authorities, including regional government and security forces.

“Once an entry permit is issued, supervision falls to all of us. It is not solely the responsibility of Immigration,” he said.

He said Central Papua has natural resources that attract investors, including the mining sector, so supervision of the presence and activities of foreign nationals needs to be carried out in an integrated manner.

If immigration violations are found, handling may take the form of administrative immigration measures or pro justitia proceedings, depending on the type of violation.

Meanwhile, violations relating to public order fall under the authority of the police, while labour issues are handled by the agency responsible for manpower.

Assistant II for Economic and Development Affairs at the Central Papua Regional Secretariat Tumiran said the vast area and characteristics of Central Papua require strong coordination in supervising foreign nationals.

“Information held by each agency must be communicated quickly and accurately,” he said.

Tumiran also stressed that supervision must be carried out professionally while still providing room for foreign nationals who are present and operating legally in Central Papua.

Immigration is also inviting the public, including journalists and mass media, to report the presence or activities of foreign nationals suspected of violating the law to the relevant authorities for follow-up.