Makassar, S Sulawesi (ANTARA Sulsel) - Police found seven Afghan immigrants without supervision from the Immigration Office at Wisma Benhil building in Makassar, South Sulawesi provincial capital, at the wee hours on Sunday.
The police found the seven Afghan refugees when they launched an operation in a number of locations in Makassar. When questioned by police, one of the immigrants, Muhammad Jafar, said there had been there since early in July.
He said that they arrived in Makassar and stayed there as a transit point on their way to seek a political asylum in Australia.
"We left Afghanistan because we no longer like living in the country due to protracted conflict so that we plan to live in Australia," Jafar said.
The other six Afghan immigrants found in the Wisma Benhil building were Muhammad Jacob, Naim, Nulam Ali, Kulam Zacki, Izmatullah and Munucher.
They stayed in Makassar without passports and stay-permits. They only possessed an immigration document under the sponsored of the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR) and the Jakarta immigration office.
Panakukang police head Adjunct Commissioner Satria Adrie Vibrianto said early on Sunday that although they were unable to produce a passport and a stay permit, they were here under an official document.
"Their stay here is legal, or else we will arrest them. They are now waiting for information from their country for their repatriation," he said.
The seven Afghan immigrants are still staying at the Wisma Benhil for several other weeks.
(T.PSO-101(A014/)
The police found the seven Afghan refugees when they launched an operation in a number of locations in Makassar. When questioned by police, one of the immigrants, Muhammad Jafar, said there had been there since early in July.
He said that they arrived in Makassar and stayed there as a transit point on their way to seek a political asylum in Australia.
"We left Afghanistan because we no longer like living in the country due to protracted conflict so that we plan to live in Australia," Jafar said.
The other six Afghan immigrants found in the Wisma Benhil building were Muhammad Jacob, Naim, Nulam Ali, Kulam Zacki, Izmatullah and Munucher.
They stayed in Makassar without passports and stay-permits. They only possessed an immigration document under the sponsored of the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR) and the Jakarta immigration office.
Panakukang police head Adjunct Commissioner Satria Adrie Vibrianto said early on Sunday that although they were unable to produce a passport and a stay permit, they were here under an official document.
"Their stay here is legal, or else we will arrest them. They are now waiting for information from their country for their repatriation," he said.
The seven Afghan immigrants are still staying at the Wisma Benhil for several other weeks.
(T.PSO-101(A014/)