Trip to RI organized by mafia: Survivor

Trip to RI organized by mafia: Survivor

Annastashya Emmanuelle, The Jakarta Post, Bogor

The dream of a better life had led the migrants from the
Middle East to take an extraordinary risk. Tragically, that risk
did not pay off and their dream became a nightmare when their
boat sank in the Java Sea on Friday.

Over 350 people, mostly Iraqis, died in the tragedy. Two
people are in hospital while 42 other survivors are being
sheltered at the Wisma Palar in Bogor and the Ragal Villa in
Cisarua.

At the Ragal Villa, Amal Hassan, accompanied by her 19-year-
old son Amjad Abas, told The Jakarta Post how the two of them
became part of the tragedy.

The Iraqi woman said she was in contact with people in
Malaysia and Indonesia who claimed they could arrange to bring
her to Australia.

"Let me tell you, these people are mafia... but I was
desperate to escape the fearful conditions in my country, I
thought this might be our way out," Amal said.

She said her husband used the same method two years ago and
was now living in an immigration center in Melbourne.

About three months ago, she and her son left Teheran for Kuala
Lumpur in Malaysia and later traveled by boat to Medan in North
Sumatra, where their contact had been waiting for them at the
port.

They were later taken to the Sahid hotel, where she was
immediately greeted by men who claimed to know who she was.

"Later they asked me if I wanted to go to Jakarta where they
claimed to also have some 'channels'. The fee for the Jakarta
trip was US$100 per person," she explained.

At the Soekarno-Hatta international airport, they were
approached by four Arabs who later took them to a shabby hotel,
and a few days later they were taken to the Amelia Villa in
Cisarua.

"A man named Abo Kossi came to the villa and told us that he
could arrange for a trip to Australia for US$1,500 per person.
Later I gathered that these people (traffickers) are based here
in Cisarua," she said.

"After my friends and I paid, we were transported by a bus one
night to a port, I'm not sure where, and we departed by boat to
Bandar Lampung."

After arriving there during the evening of the following day,
the group of 418 people boarded another vessel, which was
supposed to take them to Christmas Island.

"When we saw the condition of the boat, some of us immediately
objected to traveling in it because it appeared so old and
fragile," she said.

Amal said that Abo and his friends insisted that the boat was
in perfect condition and that it would be able to travel safely
to Australia.

"When we protested, they told us to either get on the boat or
risk having our money lost," she added. They also pointed guns
at them, forcing the desperate people to get on board.

Despite her horrific experience, Amal and her son are
determined to get to Australia.

"I want to meet my husband there, and I believe in Australia
we will find a good life."