"Indonesia is not their destination, and so there is no need for us to accommodate them as they did not wish to stay here," Vice President Jusuf Kalla said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian government will not accommodate dozens of Tamil immigrants from Sri Lanka, who are presently stranded in the Aceh province waters, Vice President Jusuf Kalla said here Friday.

"Indonesia is not their destination, and so there is no need for us to accommodate them as they did not wish to stay here," he said.

Forty-nine immigrants from Sri Lanka were stranded in the Lhoknga waters in the district of Aceh Besar, in the Sumatran province of Aceh after their boat developed engine trouble on June 11.

While the Tamils are in Indonesia, the government will provide them with humanitarian service including health checks and boat repairs, he said.

However, when they are out of Indonesian territory, the government will no longer be responsible for their well-being, he added.

"If they wish to leave Indonesia, they can go, especially if they want to return to their country. As soon as they are out of Indonesian territory we will no longer have control over them," he said.

Kalla has told the Aceh government to provide humanitarian service to the Tamil immigrants, and Aceh governor Zaini Abdullah has already extended aid.

He would deal with the problem as per the directives of Vice President Jusuf Kalla, he said.

"In line with the memo from the vice president, the important thing is the humanitarian aspect. They must not be driven away. We will meet the required standards," he said.

Amnesty International has asked Indonesia to allow the Tamil immigrants to land on Indonesian shores and meet with the UNHCR officials.

"These people have taken a long and difficult journey. Now, after they have reached Aceh, they must be allowed to land and meet with the UNHCR staff," Josef Benedict, Amnesty Internationals campaign director for Southeast Asia and Pacific, told Antara here Thursday.

Amnesty International is concerned that Indonesian authorities might drive the boat into international waters with 49 people on board, including a pregnant woman and nine children.

Aceh fishermen discovered the boat close to Aceh waters on June 11, and reported it to the navy, which did not allow the passengers to reach the shore, as they had no documents.

The refugees still remain on the boat along the Lhoknga coast. Indonesian authorities have also not allowed the UNHCR staff to interview the boats occupants to confirm their claims and identities.

"Refugees and asylum seekers have often gone without documents displaying their identities, as such documents have often been difficult to obtain or they might have been lost during the journey. This is not related with their right to obtain asylum. The UNHCR must be allowed to register them immediately," Josef Benedict said.

The boat had traveled from India, after its passengers reportedly fled Sri Lanka, where minority Tamils have suffered persecution in the past.

While much has improved, there are still concerns about discrimination against the Tamils by law enforcement officials, he said.

The group left India, traveling more than 1,700km to Aceh, while carrying an Indian flag. They had sailed for 20 days on their way to Australia when they faced bad weather and were stranded near Lhokna in Aceh waters.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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