Pekanbaru Rudenim Moves 27 Myanmar Citizens Looking For Asylum To Shelters

Pekanbaru Immigration Detention Center (Rudenim) has transferred 27 asylum seekers from the ethnic Myanmar Rohingya to the refugee shelter/Antara/HO-Humas Rudenim.

PekanbarU - Pekanbaru Immigration Detention Center (Rudenim) transferred 27 asylum seekers from ethnic Myanmar Rohingya to refugee shelters in Pekanbaru City. They were transferred to the Siak Resort Hotel and Nevada Hotel.

"The activity of moving the ethnic Myanmar Rohingya residents is through an inherent surveillance procedure by seven officers from the Pekanbaru Immigration Detention Center," said Head of Pekanbaru Immigration Detention Center, Panogu Hot Dihatoguan Sitanggang, as reported by ANTARA, Tuesday, July 25.

In accordance with Presidential Regulation No. 125 of 2016 Article 24 paragraph 1 of the Pekanbaru Rudenim coordinates with the Pekanbaru local government, namely through the National Unity and Political Agency of Pekanbaru City to bring and place refugees to shelters.

Rudenim, said Panogu, transferred the 27 asylum seekers to a refugee shelter in the Pekanbaru area after being placed in the Pekanbaru Rudenim for more than seven weeks.

"A total of 27 asylum seekers recorded 26 of whom were part of 29 foreigners who were victims of the Trafficking in Persons (TPPO) which were handed over by the Immigration Office Class I TPI Dumai to the Pekanbaru Rudenim on June 6, 2023," he said.

Panogu explained that 29 victims of TIP, 24 of whom were found by the Dumai Navy (Lanal) on the Coast of Medang Kampa District, Dumai on May 13.

Meanwhile, 4 other people were found in the Silincing Waters of Medang Kampai District, Dumai on June 3, 2023.

Then another person, a citizen of Myanmar, MD Abdur Rahman, was found by PT. Dumai Industrial Estate (PT. KID) precisely on the Dumai coast which was reported to the Dumai Police.

The results of Rudenim's coordination with the Pekanbaru UNHCR Representation, of the 29 foreigners, only 26 were confirmed to be citizens of Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya based on the United Nations High Commissioners' Senior Protection Officer letter for Refugees number: 23/INSJA/HCR/30700 with the status of Asaka Searcher, while 3 others were Bangladeshi citizens with the status of immigrators.

Head of the Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights Riau Muhammad Jahari Sitepu said the transfer of asylum seekers was based on Presidential Decree No. 125 of 2016 article 24 paragraph 1 concerning the handling of refugees from abroad.

It is explained in article 1 that foreign refugees are foreigners who are in the territory of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia because of the fear that reason for persecution for reasons of race, ethnicity, religion, nationality, membership of certain social groups.

"They seek asylum because of different political opinions and do not want protection from their home country and or have received asylum seeker status or refugee status from the United Nations through the High Commissioner for Refugee Affairs in Indonesia," he said.