Yuli Tri Suwarni

Yuli Tri Suwarni

The Jakarta Post
Bandung

It is feared that an increasing number of illegal immigrants
sheltered in the West Java towns of Bogor and Cianjur could cause
resentment among local people because of the special treatment
the immigrants receive, an immigration official said.

The head of the immigration division of the West Java justice
and human rights office, Syaiful Rachman, said here on Thursday
that jealousy could easily surface because some of the immigrants
are being sheltered in houses in residential areas where most
locals are living in poverty.

The special treatment given to the immigrants is quite
disparate to the conditions of the local people, Syaiful
reiterated.

"So far we haven't heard any complaints about the immigrants'
presence, but if the number continues increasing, it may even
cause conflict with the local people," he said.

At least 429 immigrants are accommodated in Bogor and Cianjur
at present, as compared to only 300 in August, according to data
from Syaiful's office. At one stage the number of immigrants
peaked at 610 in the two towns, but dropped again after some fled
the area.

From the total number of illegal immigrants sheltered in West
Java, 216 are from Iraq, 179 from Afghanistan, while the rest
come from Palestine, Algeria, Sudan and Pakistan, Syaiful said.

Syaiful said that, in a bid to anticipate the increasing
number of the immigrants, the Bogor immigration office in
cooperation with the International Office of Migration (IOM), a
partner of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees
(UNHCR), has been forced to increase the number of accommodation
facilities in Bogor and Cianjur from three to seven.

Accommodation is provided at the Bogor Baru housing complex,
the Bali Hotel, a residential area in Cisarua, a residential area
in Cipanas, Palar guest house, the Sulanjana Hotel and Lamindo
guest house.

Syaiful explained that there is no financial obstacle for the
immigration office as all expenses are guaranteed by the IOM, but
said that both immigration officials and police officers were
finding it difficult to monitor the immigrants.

He expressed hope that there would be no new influx of
immigrants to Indonesia, especially in connection with the U.S.
plan to attack Afghanistan for allegedly sheltering Osama bin
Laden, who is accused of masterminding the Sept. 11 terrorist
attacks.

Meanwhile, as many as 24 illegal immigrants have been moved
from a penitentiary on Nusakambangan Island near Cilacap, Central
Java, to Bogor, Cilacap immigration office head Joko Sartono said
on Thursday.

They were among 134 illegal immigrants from Afghanistan
temporarily sheltered on the island. Many of them managed to
escape the penitentiary, he said.

Joko said that the IOM transported the immigrants by bus on
Wednesday evening.

"Two IOM representatives came here to pick up the immigrants
from Cilacap and we assigned two immigration officers to escort
them," Joko said.

The illegal immigrants, half of whom consisted of children,
were stranded on Nusakambangan Island after their boat broke down
during their journey from the Seribu Islands near Jakarta in
August.

They were saved by local fishermen before being sheltered at
the penitentiary complex on Nusakambangan.

Agus Maryono and Wawan contributed to this story