Johnny Hutahuruk, Deputy Chief, People Smuggling, Refugee and Asylum Seekers Desk, Office of the Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security:
This is our problem too
June 13, 2012
Every year, thousands of illegal refugees from the Middle East take advantage of the coastal areas of Java and East Nusa Tenggara to reach the land of their dreams: Australia. Not all of them make it. Many go back, after their boats run aground or sink. But as many of them decide to wait it out until the Australian government opens its doors and lets them in officially.
In any case, their presence on Indonesian soil has created a unique problem
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