Gowa, S Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has sent 20 illegal immigrants to Gowa regency's immigration detention center in South Sulawesi.
ANTARA learned here Tuesday that the Indonesian immigration authorities suspected that the illegal immigrants ran away from the detention center after finding none of them in their rooms on Sunday.
However, they returned to the detention center on Monday.
Chief of Gowa regency police's anti-crime division Adjuct Commissioner Wahyu Bram said they did not escape but just temporarily left the detention center for refreshing.
The illegal immigrants were given freedom to be out of the detention center complex as long as they reported to the on-duty officers every time they wanted to go, he said.
"They are detainees. They are just entrusted by the UNHCR while their refugee status is being checked or processed," he said.
Bram said some illegal immigrants got married to local women while waiting for their refugee status.
Over the past decade, Indonesia has frequently been used as a transit point by foreign asylum seekers on their way to Australia.
On March 6 for instance, the Indonesian police successfully foiled an attempt by 37 illegal immigrants from Afghanistan to sail to Australia.
A patrol boat of the Jakarta metropolitan water police directorate arrested 37 Afghans on board two boats in Kepulauan Seribu waters in Jakarta Bay on early March 6.
In their efforts to go to Australia, they pay people smugglers who then ask locals to transport them by wooden boats.
In the East Nusa Tenggara town of Kupang, a total of 135 illegal immigrants coming from such countries as Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar, remain detained at a local detention center.
The illegal immigrants were arrested by the police and immigration authorities here over the past few months.
In response to the comings of asylum seeker boats through the people smuggling activities, the Australian government has consistently categorized them as a global and regional problem.
(R013/B003)
ANTARA learned here Tuesday that the Indonesian immigration authorities suspected that the illegal immigrants ran away from the detention center after finding none of them in their rooms on Sunday.
However, they returned to the detention center on Monday.
Chief of Gowa regency police's anti-crime division Adjuct Commissioner Wahyu Bram said they did not escape but just temporarily left the detention center for refreshing.
The illegal immigrants were given freedom to be out of the detention center complex as long as they reported to the on-duty officers every time they wanted to go, he said.
"They are detainees. They are just entrusted by the UNHCR while their refugee status is being checked or processed," he said.
Bram said some illegal immigrants got married to local women while waiting for their refugee status.
Over the past decade, Indonesia has frequently been used as a transit point by foreign asylum seekers on their way to Australia.
On March 6 for instance, the Indonesian police successfully foiled an attempt by 37 illegal immigrants from Afghanistan to sail to Australia.
A patrol boat of the Jakarta metropolitan water police directorate arrested 37 Afghans on board two boats in Kepulauan Seribu waters in Jakarta Bay on early March 6.
In their efforts to go to Australia, they pay people smugglers who then ask locals to transport them by wooden boats.
In the East Nusa Tenggara town of Kupang, a total of 135 illegal immigrants coming from such countries as Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar, remain detained at a local detention center.
The illegal immigrants were arrested by the police and immigration authorities here over the past few months.
In response to the comings of asylum seeker boats through the people smuggling activities, the Australian government has consistently categorized them as a global and regional problem.
(R013/B003)