Indonesia Warns Australia over Illegal Immigrants Deportation

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The House of Representatives' commission on defense's deputy chairman Tubagus Hasanuddin regretted the deportation of illegal immigrants from Australian waters to Indonesia. His reason was because the action has violated human rights and the international convention on the protection of immigrants' rights. The deportation, he said, could also create political tension between the two nations.

"It is not impossible to become a military conflict between the two countries, if Australia continues to provoke by returning those immigrants to Indonesia," he said through a short text message that was sent on Saturday, February 8. The reason was because the illegal immigrants, who wanted to reach Australia, were not originated from Indonesia.

He said that Australia should find a more accurate solution, which was through coordination between nations that were crossed, such as, Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia. Meanwhile, the immigrants' countries of origin, such as, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan should be involved. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) should also be asked for consideration.

Previously, a wave of illegal immigrants from the Middle East had further heat up the relationship between Indonesia and Australia. The two nations claimed that the regulation taken was the most acceptable one. In the end, Australia sent back those immigrants that had breached its border to Indonesia.

SUNDARI