ID :
104751
Fri, 02/05/2010 - 08:33
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/104751
The shortlink copeid
STUDENTS FROM INDONESIAN TOWN OF BEKASI PROTEST EXPECTED ARRIVAL OF 252 SRI LANKAN ILLEGALS
Cikarang, W Java, Feb 4 (ANTARA) - A government plan to temporarily accommodate 252 illegal Sri Lankan immigrants in an industrial zone in Cibitung in Bekasi district, West Java, has drawn opposition from the local community.
Tens of students grouped in the Bekasi University Students Forum (Formabes) and the Regional Development Studies Institute (LP3D) staged a demonstration outside the Bekasi district administration building expressing objections to the plan.
"We reject the illegal immigrants` presence in Bakasi district because they are believed to bring communicable diseases," a rally coordinator, Jhonly Nahampun, said.
The government`s plan to accommodate the Sri Lankan illegals in the MM2100 industrial zone in Cibitung would only create new problems for the local people, he said.
A number of other regions in Indonesia had also refused to accommodate illegal immigrants because they were known to have brought contagious diseases, Jhonly said, adding Bekasi did not need to be an exception.
Ahmad Sabana, another student demonstrator, said the illegal Sri Lankan immigrants could only come to Bekasi if the district administration could guarantee their presence would not cause any problems for the local community.
Roni Harjanto, head of the Bekasi district administration`s civil security guards unit, told the demonstrators, the policy to temporarily let the Sri Lankans stay in Bekasi was made by the central government, not the local administration.
The central government had chosen Bekasi because of its proximity to Jakarta and the Bekasi district head, H Sa`duddin, had no choice but to abide by the central government`s directive.
Besides, the Sri Lankans would only stay in Bekasi for only two to five months, he said.
But the demonstrators could not accept Roni`s explanations and stuck to their objections, saying if the local government did not accept their protest, they would rally again with the participation of a greater number of people.
The protesters also held a rally outside the Bekasi District Legislative Assembly building but were told most of the assembly members were away on tours in the countryside.
Separately, Bekasi District Chief H. Sa`duddin said the illegal Sri Lankan immigrants were expected to arrive in Bekasi later this week. "But it`s up to the management of the MM2100 industrial zone to decide whether the illegals can stay there," he said.
Tens of students grouped in the Bekasi University Students Forum (Formabes) and the Regional Development Studies Institute (LP3D) staged a demonstration outside the Bekasi district administration building expressing objections to the plan.
"We reject the illegal immigrants` presence in Bakasi district because they are believed to bring communicable diseases," a rally coordinator, Jhonly Nahampun, said.
The government`s plan to accommodate the Sri Lankan illegals in the MM2100 industrial zone in Cibitung would only create new problems for the local people, he said.
A number of other regions in Indonesia had also refused to accommodate illegal immigrants because they were known to have brought contagious diseases, Jhonly said, adding Bekasi did not need to be an exception.
Ahmad Sabana, another student demonstrator, said the illegal Sri Lankan immigrants could only come to Bekasi if the district administration could guarantee their presence would not cause any problems for the local community.
Roni Harjanto, head of the Bekasi district administration`s civil security guards unit, told the demonstrators, the policy to temporarily let the Sri Lankans stay in Bekasi was made by the central government, not the local administration.
The central government had chosen Bekasi because of its proximity to Jakarta and the Bekasi district head, H Sa`duddin, had no choice but to abide by the central government`s directive.
Besides, the Sri Lankans would only stay in Bekasi for only two to five months, he said.
But the demonstrators could not accept Roni`s explanations and stuck to their objections, saying if the local government did not accept their protest, they would rally again with the participation of a greater number of people.
The protesters also held a rally outside the Bekasi District Legislative Assembly building but were told most of the assembly members were away on tours in the countryside.
Separately, Bekasi District Chief H. Sa`duddin said the illegal Sri Lankan immigrants were expected to arrive in Bekasi later this week. "But it`s up to the management of the MM2100 industrial zone to decide whether the illegals can stay there," he said.
