Indonesia set to deport Afghan asylum seekers
Updated
Immigration officials in Indonesia say they plan to deport 70 Afghan asylum seekers who were detained last week before they could set sail for Australia.
But the ethnic Hazaras say they would rather die than be sent back to Afghanistan or to refugee camps in Pakistan - because their lives are in danger there too. They say they are being increasingly targeted by an emboldened Taliban in Pakistan which is attempting to extend its control beyond the areas in the North West Frontier Province where it has already been granted legal authority by Islamabad.
Presenter: Geoff Thompson
Speakers: Maroloan Barimbing, immigration spokesman; Nur Abdul Hassan Hussaini, asylum seeker
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(Sound of children saying, 'Australia, Australia')
GEOFF THOMPSON: It's no mystery where ethnic Hazaras from Afghanistan are planning to go when they land in Indonesia via Malaysia, often without travel documents after fleeing refugee camps in countries like Pakistan.
It is now emerging that the creeping 'Talibanisation' of parts of Pakistan is one of the so-called 'push factors' that has many Hazaras joining the 2,000-odd asylum seekers already in Indonesia, mostly wanting to go to Australia.
Indonesian immigration authorities have confirmed to the ABC that they do intend to deport 70 Afghans who have been detained in West Java since last week before they could board a boat to Australia.
(Sound of Maroloan Barimbing speaking)
Immigration spokesman Maroloan Barimbing says, 'We haven't decided whether they are refugees or not, but from an immigration point of view they are illegal visitors, and the law says they will be deported.'
NUR ABDUL HASSAN HUSSAINI: We will not go back to Afghanistan.
We will die here, but not go back to Afghanistan.
GEOFF THOMPSON: Nur Abdul Hassan Hussaini is one of the 70 who, before attempting illegal entry, was twice refused permission to join his brother Safdar Ali Hussaini in Australia, where he now works as a tiler since he and his family had permanent residency approved in 2004.
NUR ABDUL HASSAN HUSSAINI: When we moved from here to Afghanistan, Taliban saw our picture and on television. Within two or three days that they will check us and will kill us.
GEOFF THOMPSON: Abdul Hassan also says that life has become precarious for Hazaras in refugee camps in Quetta in Pakistan, where he has been for the last nine years, before recently coming to Indonesia.
A trawl through Hazara websites highlights what human rights workers there will also confirm - that this year, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of targeted killings directed at Hazaras in Quetta.
Speaking from the Sydney suburb of Auburn last night, Safdar Ali Hussaini said these are the reasons his brother is so desperate to join him in Australia, and not because he's been lured by a so-called 'softening' of Australia's stance towards asylum seekers.
SAFDAR ALI HUSSAINI: The situation for, in Afghanistan, is no good, not safe. But all of Hazara people (inaudible) Pakistan and Quetta. But this time we also in change of government, but very bad, because not safe, anybody, especially for Hazara people.
GEOFF THOMPSON: Police are investigating claims by the detained group of 70 that an Australian man was among the smugglers organising their foiled trip to Christmas Island.
