37 illegal immigrants captured in Jakarta Bay

Hasyim Widhiarto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 04/06/2010 4:25 PM

Thirty-seven male Afghan nationals were captured by patrolling officers from Jakarta Police's water police division in waters off Bidadari Island in Jakarta Bay early Tuesday and admitted they were heading to Australia to look for political asylum.

Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Boy Rafli Amar said the officers found the illegal immigrants floating in two fishing boats crewed by two Indonesian nationals identified as Ending and Ardun.

"We are still questioning them to find out how they entered Indonesian waters and which route they used," Boy said, adding that the illegal immigrants now came under the division’s jurisdiction.

Boy said the police were now coordinating with UNHCR representatives in Jakarta to decide the future of the asylum seekers.

"But it is almost certain they will be deported from Indonesia," he said.

12 more boat people detained in Makassar

Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar | Sat, 01/02/2010 6:23 PM

Twelve boat people heading for Australia were arrested recently in South Suluwesi, Ujung Tanah Makassar Police chief says.

The immigrants, who had stopped to repairs their boat on Kodingreng Island, South Sulawesi, were captured on Thursday, Ujung Tanah Makassar Police chief Comr. Ricky Lesmana said on Saturday.

“We received a report from a member of the public on Thursday morning. We brought them to Makassar,” Ricky said.

Eight of the boat people are Afghanistan nationals, and the other four are from Vietnam.

The group had stopped at Kodringreng Island at around 5 a.m. because of technical problems with their boat. After requesting help from locals they were reported to the police.

The group is currently being held at the Makassar Immigration detention center awaiting further questioning.

Over the past week at least 35 boat people have been apprehended by local law enforcement officers, and put in detention.

Of the 35 boat people, four have been taken to Jakarta because they had immigration documents, but the remaining 31 are still at Makassar Class I Immigration Detention Center in Bollangi, Makassar Immigration detention center staffer Dwi Laksono said.

Indonesia stops 17 asylum seekers

Bigpond News, Monday, December 28, 2009, 04:22am

Indonesian police have detained in East Java 17 Afghan and Iraqi asylum seekers bound for Australia.

Indonesian police say they have detained in East Java province 17 Afghan and Iraqi asylum seekers who were trying to reach Australia.

The men - 14 Afghans and three Iraqis - were arrested early Sunday at the coast in Sidoarjo district, district police chief Muhammad Iqbal told Agence France-Presse.

'A wooden boat was waiting there to take them to Australia. We managed to get to the migrants before they could get on to the boat,' he added.

'They had no documents on them and they wanted to go to Australia to seek asylum,' Iqbal said.

'We are still questioning the migrants. We suspect they were brought here by people smugglers,' he added.

Indonesia is a key staging point for smugglers taking Afghans, Sri Lankans and other nationals on a perilous sea journey to Australia.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is under intense political pressure over the issue after a surge in arrivals via Indonesia this year.

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