"They do not consider the dangers involved or the law."Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara (ANTARA News) - Immigration officers in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, have arrested some 900 illegal immigrants from Middle Eastern countries, who were headed for Australia, this year.
The head of the local immigration office, Silvester Sili Laba, stated here on Thursday that the biggest arrest was made in June, when 87 illegal immigrants were arrested in Sumba waters.
He said all the illegal immigrants were held at the immigration detention centre, but 11 of them had escaped and were still at large.
"For the immigrants from Middle Eastern countries as well as from Afghanistan and Pakistan, the East Nusa Tenggara waters offer the safest transit route to Australia, which is their dreamland of freedom and hope," Silvester noted.
He said East Nusa Tenggara was considered an ideal transit route because Australia was just a short boat ride from the province.
"The fishermen get lured by the big sums of money that the immigrants offer in exchange for being transported to Australia. They do not consider the dangers involved or the law. Rote, Sabu, Sumba and Kupang islands are the usual points of departure," Silvester went on.
He pointed out that the province was fast becoming a human smuggling hub because of certain vested interests.
"Human smuggling here is being done by an organized crime gang," Silvester said, adding that many illegal immigrants in the region often fell victim to the gang`s members.
Therefore, he called for "cooperation among all parties to beef up supervision in these areas".
East Nusa Tenggara provincial administration spokesman Fransiskus Salem said Indonesia and Australia must step up cooperation in fighting human smuggling.
Meanwhile, Indonesia`s federal director for consular affairs Chalief Akbar pointed out that human smuggling had become a lucrative business.
"According to the International Organization for Migration, such issues constitute the dark side of globalization and have created new problems for recipient countries," he added.
(Uu.H-YH/INE/KR-BSR)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
