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Viewing cable 08SURABAYA68, EASTERN INDONESIA: AFGHANS BOUND FOR AUSTRALIA DETAINED IN

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08SURABAYA68 2008-06-03 10:16 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Consulate Surabaya
VZCZCXRO9729
RR RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJS #0068 1551016
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 031016Z JUN 08
FM AMCONSUL SURABAYA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0226
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA 0212
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0120
RUEHDN/AMCONSUL SYDNEY 0003
RUEHBN/AMCONSUL MELBOURNE 0001
RUEHPT/AMCONSUL PERTH 0003
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 0118
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0001
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 0011
RUEHJS/AMCONSUL SURABAYA 0231
UNCLAS SURABAYA 000068 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, G/TIP, DRL/ILCSR 
BANGKOK FOR INL REFUGEE OFFICE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF SMIG PREL ELAB KCRM KWMN ID
SUBJECT: EASTERN INDONESIA: AFGHANS BOUND FOR AUSTRALIA DETAINED IN 
WEST TIMOR 
 
REF: Jakarta 451 (Surabaya 002) 
 
This message is sensitive but unclassified.  Please protect 
accordingly. 
 
1. (SBU) Summary: Local police arrested seven Afghan nationals 
near Kupang, West Timor, for immigration violations.  According 
to the police, the Afghans claimed they felt threatened in 
Afghanistan and intended to enter Australia via boat from Roti 
Island.  All seven reportedly entered on valid Indonesian 
tourist visas and valid Afghan passports.  Police in Kupang 
arrest foreigners enroute to Australia every couple of weeks. 
As a result, local officials have developed "good cooperation" 
with the Australian Police Force (AFP) and International 
Organization for Migration (IOM).  According to AFP, these 
illegal immigrants often work with Malaysian smugglers, who 
demand 50 percent payment upfront.  AFP is not aware of any 
recent successful crossings from West Timor, as foreigners 
standout among the local population and are easily detained. 
End Summary. 
 
Jakarta-Bali-Kupang-Australia 
------------------------------- 
 
2. (SBU) Local press articles reported June 3 that Kupang police 
had arrested seven Afghan nationals in Tablolong, a district 
located 30 kms west of Kupang city, for immigration violations. 
Kupang police sources told ConGen Surabaya that the seven men, 
aged 20-30, entered Indonesia on valid 30-day Indonesian tourist 
visas and valid Afghan passports.  (Note: It is unclear where 
the visas were issued.  Afghan nationals are not illegible to 
purchase visas on arrival in Indonesia.)  The seven Afghans 
reportedly traveled to West Timor from Jakarta via Bali.  They 
told the police that they felt threatened in Afghanistan and 
planned to travel to Australia via a rented boat from Roti 
Island.  The Kupang police told us that they had already 
coordinated with the Immigration Office and Australian Police to 
deport the seven back to Afghanistan. 
 
3. (SBU) The Nusa Tenggara Timor (NTT) provincial police told 
ConGen Surabaya that such arrests are commonplace.  Every couple 
of weeks, the Kupang police arrest foreigners, especially from 
Afghanistan, who are trying to reach Australia by transiting 
Indonesia.  IOM officials in Surabaya told us that IOM regularly 
assists migrants arrested in Indonesia following a request from 
Indonesian immigration.  IOM said that the numbers of would-be 
migrants had decreased since 2001/2002, when groups numbering in 
the hundreds tried to transit Indonesia, due to improved 
enforcement and coordination between agencies.  Today, these 
illegal immigrants travel in small groups or as individuals in 
an effort to avoid detection. 
 
Australian-Indonesian Cooperation 
------------------------------------ 
 
4. (SBU) The AFP representative in Australia's Consulate in Bali 
confirmed that this case is typical.  Illegal immigrants are 
generally smuggled by Malaysian networks, who demand half the 
money upfront.  The remaining fee is apparently due upon safe 
arrival in Australia.  While smuggling attempts along this route 
are not uncommon, success is rare to unknown.  Foreigners stick 
out among the local population from the moment they arrive, and 
detention is almost certain.  The AFP representative surmised 
prospective immigrants were giving their money to smuggling 
networks with little real hope of getting into Australia. 
 
5. (SBU) AFP expects an increase in attempts now that the 
cyclone season has ended and the seas between Indonesia and 
Australia are approaching their post-cyclone season calm.  While 
these seven Afghans reportedly transited Bali, the AFP has no 
information on Afghans who have stopped long-term in Bali or 
requested asylum at the Australian Consulate there.  For reasons 
that are unclear, these immigrants appear intent on reaching 
Australia via boat.  The Bali-based AFP representative added 
that AFP cooperation with the police in Kupang was excellent, 
and AFP traveled to West Timor regularly providing training and 
other assistance (reftel). 
 
MCCLELLAND