We come here to appeal to the Indonesian government through the Law and Human Rights Ministry-East Nusa Tenggara Office to facilitate us to express our complaints to IOM (International Organization for Migration) and the UNHCR (United Nations High CoKupang, E Nusa Tenggara (ANTARA) - At least 50 Afghan refugees staged a rally in East Nusa Tenggara capital Kupang on Thursday, demanding the Law and Human Rights Ministry assist them in their efforts towards resettlement to a third country.
"We come here to appeal to the Indonesian government through the Law and Human Rights Ministry-East Nusa Tenggara Office to facilitate us to express our complaints to IOM (International Organization for Migration) and the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees)," the refugees' representative, Kubra Hanasi, said.
As an alternative to expedited resettlement, the refugees want the Indonesian government to grant them Indonesian citizenship by considering the uncertainty over their resettlement to third countries, she said.
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Hanasi, however, dismissed the possibility of her and other Afghan refugees staying in East Nusa Tenggara returning to their home country citing the Taliban's takeover of power.
She said she and other Afghan refugees have repeatedly staged rallies to push for expedited resettlement or Indonesian citizenship status.
Hasani said she and her husband were stranded on Indonesia's Rote Island in 2015. Since then, they have been staying in Kupang, but several refugees have lived in the city much longer, she informed.
ANTARA has earlier reported how Indonesia is often perceived as a transit country by those seeking asylum to a third country owing to the fact that it is not among the signatories to the 1951 refugee convention.
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Though Afghan refugees have lived in Kupang for almost 7, 10, and 11 years but the UNHCR or IOM are yet to resettle them in a third country, Hasani said.
Therefore, she said the Afghan refugees have continued to appeal to the Indonesian government to grant them citizenship.
During the rally that was joined by teenage and adult refugees, some of whom carried toddlers, the Afghan refugees said they wanted to meet Marciana D Jone, head of the Law and Human Rights Ministry-East Nusa Tenggara Office, to convey their request.
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According to Hasani, around 30 Afghan children staying in Kupang along with their parents are facing an uncertain future owing to the uncertainty over their citizenship status.
Regarding the Afghan refugees-related issues, Reuters recently quoted a spokesperson for the UNHCR as saying that "the situation in Afghanistan did not have any impact on the status of refugees in Indonesia or elsewhere and their resettlement programme was going on as usual".
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Translator: Kornelis K, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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