FORTY SIX AFGHAN AND IRANIAN IMMIGRANTS ON HUNGER STRIKE

Bengkulu, June 15 (ANTARA) - Forty six Afghanistan and Iranian immigrants who have been detained by the Indonesian authorities in Bengkulu, Sumatra Island, since Friday (June 12), are on a hunger strike thereby demanding the Australian embassy to listen to their wish to be granted an asylum.

"We are on a hunger strike until the Australian government is willing to listen to us and meet our demand," Ahmad Ali, an afghan immigrant who speaks the Indonesian language fluently, said here on Sunday.

Ali and 45 other immigrants have started on a hunger strike since last midnight.

He said it would be useless for him and his fellow arrested immigrants to enjoy food here while their families in Afghanistan were suffering because of the war.

"Life in our country is very dangerous as our basic need, namely security, had yet to be met, therefore we are on a hunger strike until the Australian government listens to us," he said.

Although the Bengkulu police moved the immigrants' food to the Bengkulu immigration office, the foreign detainees placed the food outside the room.

Bengkulu Immigration Office Head Herdiyanto said he could do nothing to stop the hunger strike.

"Their food and drink are plenty, but it is of no use because they are on a hunger strike," he said.

Herdiyanto said a staff member of the International Organization of Migration (IOM) has arrived in Bengkulu to deal with the 46 illegal immigrants. He said the IOM would facilitate the foreign immigrants concerning their wish to ask for a political asylum in Australia.

Meanwhile, the Bengkulu Police had earlier moved the 46 detained foreign immigrants to the Bengkulu immigration office here on Sunday.

A boat owner indicated by his initial as J is still being detained by the local police for further investigation about the case. J, an Indonesian national who was scheduled to take the foreign immigrants to Christmas Island, Australia, has been named suspect in the case.