SRI LANKAN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT DIES IN HOSPITAL

Cilegon, Banten, Dec 24 (ANTARA) - A Sri Lankan illegal immigrant named Yakob passed away on Wednesday night at the Krakatau Media Hospital or RSKM here and his body was on Thursday still in the hospital's morgue.

"There is no certainty whether the body will be sent to the 'Jaya Lestari 5' boat where the Sri Lankan illegal immigrant group to which he belonged are staying or repatriated," chief of immigration division of the provincial law and human rights office, Harry Purwanto, said on Thursday.

"No one can guarantee about the security situation and the risk that could arise if the body is sent to the boat," Purwanto said.

For the time-being, while waiting for further developments, the body should be kept at the hospital, he said.

"We cannot decide this problem yet because it is still under discussions with various related agencies," Purwanto said.

So far, a meeting participated in by representatives of the foreign ministry, the law and human rights ministry, immigration and related agencies had been going on to discuss the problem.

The foreign ministry was at the meeting represented by a member of the Sri Lankan refugees task force but no representative of the Sri Lankan embassy showed up.

"Probably the meeting will be continued tomorrow (Friday)," Purwanto said, adding that he could not meet the immigrants' request to bring Yacob's body to the boat.

Jacob (29) who is from the Tamil tribe died at the Krakatau Medika (RSKM) hospital on Wednesday at about 11.35 pm after suffering from an illness for which he was being treated.