ID :
42445
Sat, 01/24/2009 - 00:06
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Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/42445
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NATIONALITY OF BOAT PEOPLE IN SABANG STILL UNKNOWN
Jakarta, Jan 23 (ANTARA) - Indonesian authorities have not yet been able to determine the citizenship of the 193 boat people who had landed in Sabang, Nangroe Aceh Darussalam, early this month, a government spokesman said.
"They did not carry any papers which may indicate where they come from. The government, however, will send a team (to Sabang) to seek further information on their identity and other relevant matters," foreign ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said here on Friday.
Faizasyah said due to a language barrier, questioning them would take some time. However, he said, based on the result of preliminary interviews, it appeared the boat people left their country because of hardship.
"We hope the process of their identification can be finished soon because the longer it takes, the heavier the burden the local administration has to bear," he said.
He said the process of their deportation would also not be easy. If it was finally decided to deport them, the government would have to coordinate with international institutions dealing with migration and human trafficking problems, he said.
"We can give the assurance that they are all in good condition and taken care of well," he said.
Faizasyah further said the Foreign Ministry had contacted the governments of Myanmar and Bangladesh as it was suspected the boat people had come from the two countries.
"They (representatives of the two countries) will also visit the people after the government has finished examining them. However, there must first be proof that they indeed come from the two countries," he said.
He said a meeting of officials from the ministries concerned was held to discuss the problem. "Some recommendations were made which would be used for consideration before a decision is taken but we will speed up the process because the financial capacity of the local administration (to take care of the boat people) is also limited," he said.
The boat people were found drifting on a non-motorized boat in Indonesian waters at around 9 am on January 7. When they were found they were in extremely weak physical condition and needed immediate medical treatment.
They were given shelter in a compound of the Sabang naval base.
"They did not carry any papers which may indicate where they come from. The government, however, will send a team (to Sabang) to seek further information on their identity and other relevant matters," foreign ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said here on Friday.
Faizasyah said due to a language barrier, questioning them would take some time. However, he said, based on the result of preliminary interviews, it appeared the boat people left their country because of hardship.
"We hope the process of their identification can be finished soon because the longer it takes, the heavier the burden the local administration has to bear," he said.
He said the process of their deportation would also not be easy. If it was finally decided to deport them, the government would have to coordinate with international institutions dealing with migration and human trafficking problems, he said.
"We can give the assurance that they are all in good condition and taken care of well," he said.
Faizasyah further said the Foreign Ministry had contacted the governments of Myanmar and Bangladesh as it was suspected the boat people had come from the two countries.
"They (representatives of the two countries) will also visit the people after the government has finished examining them. However, there must first be proof that they indeed come from the two countries," he said.
He said a meeting of officials from the ministries concerned was held to discuss the problem. "Some recommendations were made which would be used for consideration before a decision is taken but we will speed up the process because the financial capacity of the local administration (to take care of the boat people) is also limited," he said.
The boat people were found drifting on a non-motorized boat in Indonesian waters at around 9 am on January 7. When they were found they were in extremely weak physical condition and needed immediate medical treatment.
They were given shelter in a compound of the Sabang naval base.
