But two of them had been captured at the Pakupatan Terminal in Serang as they were injured.
In the meantime some of the immigrants from Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran were still at their hotel accommodation Tuesday and inspected and examined by the Serang immigration authorities.
One of the Afghan immigrants, named Khadim with the help of an interpreter confirmed that 19 of their friends had escaped from the hotel at 5 am, but two of them returned with injured feet.
"We had no idea where the 17 escaped prisoners came from, either from Afghanistan or Iraq, but one thing is sure, namely that they left this morning," Khadim said.
He said that with the other fellow immigrants they left Jakarta on Friday night by bus heading for a port in Banten and a plan to proceed to Australia. But on their way from a port in Banten to Australia, they could not continue their trip because their boat had developed a leak but were eventually helped by fishermen operating in the waters.
With the local water police also helping them, they were eventually left at Tanjung Lesung coast in Pandeglang and given accommodation at a hotel in Serang by the immigration authorities and the police in Serang.
"It appeared that our boat was too overcrowded, and developed a leak. We had paid 3 thousand US dollars to an agent for going Australia," Khadim said.
He still hoped to be able to go to Australia no matter how long it takes pending certainty from the UN for refugees and immigration in Indonesia, because it would be impossible for him to return to Afghanistan as it is no longer safe there.
"Women had no problem staying there, but men are facing the risk of beheading," he said.
He said that along with his fellow refugees they had stayed in Jakarta for five months and were trying to go to Australia by way of Pakistan, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.(*)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
