TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Jakarta Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) has forcibly dismantled a number of foreign asylum seekers' tents on the sidewalk in front of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Kuningan, South Jakarta. For the next week, security officers will guard the area to ensure that no new tents are pitched and occupy the public space.

On Tuesday afternoon, the area has been cleared of asylum seekers' tents. There was only a line of foreigners at the UNHCR office counter.

Dozens of tents were taken down on Tuesday morning. The refugees occupying the tents, who came from various conflict-ridden countries such as Somalia, Sudan, Afghanistan, Rohingya, Iraq, Iran and Yemen, were also relocated.

Mahmud, head of Setiabudi Subdistrict Satpol PP, said that a joint team of TNI, police, Satpol PP and immigration officials had dismantled the tents and disciplined the asylum seekers at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday. The action was taken in accordance with the Regional Regulation or Jakarta Regional Regulation No. 8 of 2007 on Public Order.

Mahmud said that because of the asylum seekers living in tents, the public area has become unkempt, dirty and slum-like.

"Many people also complained because the tents were taking up public roads," Mahmud told Tempo in front of the UNHCR office on Tuesday, July 2.

Mahmud said the Satpol PP would take preventive measures so that foreigners seeking asylum would not return and set up new tents in front of the UNHCR office. "The plan is to have the area guarded for the next seven days, both by the police and the Satpol PP," Mahmud said.

Amelia Rahima Sari

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