They were planning to use the raft to sail from Rote Island to Darwin, Australia
Kupang, E Nusa Tenggara (ANTARA) - Immigration authorities in the Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara deported six people of Australian and Dutch nationalities to their countries Wednesday for conducting research without a permit in Rote Ndao District. The six foreign nationals were detained by a foreigner supervisory team at Oeseli village on January 17, 2020 while making a raft, chief of the Kupang Immigration Office Sjachril said Wednesday night.

"They were planning to use the raft to sail from Rote Island to Darwin, Australia," he said.

They were identified by their initials as DRB (74), MGS (51), DFB (30), HRJ (79), IKS (32) and ZC (39). ZC is a Dutch student who currently studying in Australia, he said.

They were detained for conducting research in the field of experimental archeology without a permit, he said.

To conduct research in science and technology, the researcher must secure a permit from the Research and Technology Ministry/National Research and Innovation Board (Ristek-BRIN), in accordance with Law No. 11/2019 on the National System of Science and Technology, he said.

"The immigration office uses its authority pursuant to Article 75 of Law No. 6/2011 on Immigration to take immigration administrative measures in the form of deportation," he said.

The six foreigners were flown to I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali aboard a Lion Air flight en route to their countries.

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Translator: Kornelis Kaha/Suharto
Editor: Mulyo Sunyoto
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