ID :
43456
Fri, 01/30/2009 - 23:01
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https://www.oananews.org//node/43456
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STRANDED BOAT PEOPLE`S DESTINATION NOT INDONESIA : OFFICIAL
Jakarta, Jan 30 (ANTARA)- Indonesia is not the country of destination for a total of 193 boat people who landed in Sabang, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD) province on January 2009, a government spokesman said.
"For sure, Indonesia is not the country of destination (for the boat people) because they were headed for another country. But I cannot mention it now until after the completion of the whole verification process," Teuku Faizasyah, spokesman of foreign ministry said here on Friday.
The Indonesian government also suspected the boat people were part of a human trafficking operation. he said.
"However, just wait for results of the current investigation process," he said.
The boat people were found stranded in Indonesian waters on January 7, 2009 at about 09.00 a.m. local time. They were found floating in a boat without an engine in Indonesian territorial waters, he said, adding that they are now placed at Sabang Naval Base.
A couple of days ago, foreign affairs ministry sent a special team to Sabang to interview the 193 boat people in a bid to establish their citizenship and motive, as they were not equipped with any legal document when local authorities found them.
Asked whether or not the Indonesian government would involve UNHCR in the investigation process, Faizasyah said, considering that Indonesia was not involved in the 1951 UN convention about refugees, the country was not obliged to involve the UNHCR.
"For sure, Indonesia is not the country of destination (for the boat people) because they were headed for another country. But I cannot mention it now until after the completion of the whole verification process," Teuku Faizasyah, spokesman of foreign ministry said here on Friday.
The Indonesian government also suspected the boat people were part of a human trafficking operation. he said.
"However, just wait for results of the current investigation process," he said.
The boat people were found stranded in Indonesian waters on January 7, 2009 at about 09.00 a.m. local time. They were found floating in a boat without an engine in Indonesian territorial waters, he said, adding that they are now placed at Sabang Naval Base.
A couple of days ago, foreign affairs ministry sent a special team to Sabang to interview the 193 boat people in a bid to establish their citizenship and motive, as they were not equipped with any legal document when local authorities found them.
Asked whether or not the Indonesian government would involve UNHCR in the investigation process, Faizasyah said, considering that Indonesia was not involved in the 1951 UN convention about refugees, the country was not obliged to involve the UNHCR.
