Protesting Afghans hospitalized

Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post/Bogor

Another 15 Afghan nationals were taken to hospital on Monday to be treated for dehydration, two weeks after starting a hunger strike at their shelter in Wisma Palar, Bogor.

Bina Husada Hospital in Cibinong staff said 35 of the 47 asylum seekers had been taken to the hospital in turns to have treatment.

"The situation has provided us with a dilemma ... we can save the patients lives, but we cannot make them stop their hunger strike after they are discharged back to the shelter," hospital director Lanjar Sugiyanto said.

He said the total cost of the hospital treatment for the migrants had amounted to Rp 35 million (some US$3,932) that the hospital had paid.

"We do what we should do so as not to embarrass our country internationally. We will later send these bills to the International Organization for Migration (IOM)," Lanjar said.

The asylum seekers began the strike on Aug. 8 as a protest to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) that had ignored their demand to be sent to their chosen countries of asylum, mainly to Australia.

Eighteen of the migrants sewed up their lips in protest.

They have been in diplomatic limbo in Indonesia for two years since they were refused entry into Australia while en route there from Indonesia. They also refused to be sent home, saying they were fleeing the ongoing conflict in their country.

IOM operational chief officer Roni Bala told The Jakarta Post on Monday the organization allocated about US$470 each month for the group's living expenses.

He said the IOM had repatriated 402 Afghan refugees during the past four years.

"If the refugees are willing to return to their country, the IOM will provide the tickets and $1,000 in allowance for each family," Roni said.