Two hunger strikers hospitalized

Luh Putu Trisna Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara

Two out of seven Iraqi immigrants were rushed to the hospital suffering from dehydration on Tuesday after almost three days on hunger strike as part of an attempt to pressure the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) to recognize them as refugees.

The two, Fathel, 23, and Husein, 30, passed out at around 2:30 p.m. and were subsequently brought to the hospital for emergency medical care.

Fathel and Husein, along with the other five Iraqis currently languishing at the Wisata Ampenan Hotel in the West Nusa Tenggara capital of Mataram, have been refusing to eat and drink since Sunday.

They are protesting against what they say is the UNHCR's tardy progress in granting them refugee status.

The hunger strikers demanded that the UNHCR send them to a Western country prepared to grant them asylum so they could start their lives again there.

They refuse to return to Iraq, saying they fear retribution by supporters of ousted president Saddam Hussein.

"We will continue our hunger strike until the UNHCR meets our demands," vowed Ihsan, another Iraqi protester.

Currently there are 23 Iraqi immigrants living in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara.

Meanwhile, Yong Lai Kong, International Organization for Migration (IOM) representative overseeing Bali and West Nusa Tenggara, said UNHCR officials planned to visit the Iraqis in the next two weeks to clarify their status.

A group of 14 Iranian illegal immigrants sheltering at the Wisma Nusantara II in Lombok also urged the UNHCR to recognize them as refugees.

As an expression of their grievances, the Iranians were dressed entirely in black.

These asylum seekers, from the Mandayan tribe, claimed they left Iran after their government tried to force them to follow Islam.