Afghan Refugees In Pekanbaru Again Demonstrating

Not yet sent to a third country (receiving) hundreds of Afghan refugees in Pekanbaru. (Photo: Antara/HO-Humas Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Riau).

RIAU - Hundreds of refugees from Afghanistan again held a demonstration in front of the Riau Governor's Office. They expressed their desire to be immediately sent to a third country.

Refugees from various Community Houses in Pekanbaru City demonstrated after carrying out a long march from the Pekanbaru MTQ Purna Field.

Head of the Immigration Division Muhammad Tito Andrianto accompanied by the Head of the Pekanbaru Immigration Detention Center (Rudenim), Yanto Ardianto and the Heads of the Immigration Division met with the Regional Secretary of Riau Province, Hariyanto to discuss the demands of the refugees and their problems.

The meeting was held in the meeting room of the Regional Secretary, attended by the Head of the Civil Service Police Unit of Riau Province, the Head of Intel Police of the Riau Police, as well as Representatives of UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) and Representatives of IOM (International Organization for Migration).

The Head of the Immigration Division conveyed the duties and role of immigration in handling refugees based on Presidential Regulation Number 125 of 2016, which included supervising refugees through the Rudenim.

"The Rudenim is tasked with supervising the refugees, both inside (detained) and outside the Rudenim," Tito said as quoted by Antara, Monday, February 14.

However, there are still obstacles faced by the Pekanbaru Rudenim in supervising refugees, including the absence of a refugee order in the community house.

"Based on Presidential Regulation No. 125 of 2016, the making of this regulation involves the Regional Government, namely the Pekanbaru City Government, but until now this regulation does not exist, making it difficult for immigration officers to carry out surveillance and take firm action," said Tito. to be immediately sent to a third country such as the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, or other countries, the Head of the Immigration Division said that this was beyond the authority of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights.

For the resettlement process demanded by the protesters, he said, this is the authority of UNHCR as the UN agency that handles refugee issues.

UNHCR representative, M. Rafky said that UNHCR has tried to speed up the resettlement process, but for now, third countries have not opened their doors, thus disrupting the resettlement program. Therefore, UNHCR asks the refugees to be patient while waiting for the resettlement queue.

The Regional Secretary for Riau Province, SF Hariyanto, asked all relevant stakeholders to work together and collaborate so that problems and supervision related to refugees can be handled properly.

"Don't let these demonstrations lead to new clusters of the spread of COVID-19, considering the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 is starting to rise," he said.