Jakarta: Hundreds of Afghan refugees and asylum seekers living in Indonesia rose in front of the UN refugee office in Jakarta on Monday to urge him to accelerate resettlement.
They hold a large banner reading “Our family is in danger.
Please act now” and “over the refugees and save lives” during the rally in front of the UN High Commissioner office for refugees.
Some asylum seekers joined the rally and holding banners in their hands.
Aunt Rahima Farhangdost, 31, said he left his job as a teacher in the Province of Ghazni Afghanistan and arrived in Indonesia in 2014 after the Taliban ordered him not to work outside his home.
He said he received refugee cards from UNHCR in 2016, but since then there has been no further action on resettlement.
“ I only stayed at home because I can’t work here.
I feel disappointed.
Eight years is a very long time, “he said.
Indonesia is not the signing of the UN refugee convention, and the government does not allow asylum seekers to work or have access to schools or public hospitals.
Surrounded by countries that accommodate a large number of asylum seekers and refugees such as Malaysia, Thailand and Australia.
In December 2020, nearly 14,000 refugees from 50 countries registered in Indonesia, most of them Afghan refugees.
Many asylum seekers have fled to Indonesia as a jump point to reach Australia by boat.
Since 2013, the Australian Government has sent ships that are often seaworthy back to Indonesian waters.