Demo At Batam DPRD, Afghan Asylum Seekers Ask For Immediate Transfer To America, Australia

BATAM - Dozens of asylum seekers from Afghanistan rallied at the Batam DPRD Office, Riau Islands to ask for immediate assistance to be placed in third countries.

"We have gathered here asking the Indonesian government to help talk to IOM and UNHCR about being transferred to a third country," said asylum seeker Ali Akbar during a rally, Antara, Wednesday, September 22.

He said he had repeatedly asked the United Nations (UN) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to submit requests for immediate deployment to third countries. But there is no answer.

"Our family is not safe. So we are not safe here either. The future is not clear," he said.

Many of their children are unable to attend education while they are still in Indonesia. They also cannot work for a living.

"We are confused, how long we are here," he said.

He said many of them had lived for more than 6-10 years in Batam. They hope to soon be placed in third countries, including the United States, Australia and New Zealand.

He said that while waiting in Indonesia, no one cared about his fate.

So far, asylum seekers are placed in two locations. Those who are single at Sekupang Non-Detention Accommodation and those who are married at Hotel Kolekta.

"All from Afghanistan," said he, who has been in Indonesia for nearly eight years.

A member of the Batam City DPRD who received the arrival of asylum seekers, Budi Mardianto, said that the refugee issue was not the DPRD's authority.

"But we are talking about humanitarian issues, because the social impact cannot be separated from Batam City," he said.

He was worried that the poor condition of asylum seekers could have an impact on the people of Batam.