REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Indonesia must protest Australia for driving away illegal immigrants to Indonesian waters, an observer of international law said. Those illegal immigrants usually come from Africa or Middle East and they intend to enter Australia. 

"The Indonesian government should strongly protest against what the Australian Navy had done. Indonesia should ask the Australian government to take the responsibility of the refugee problem. In fact, initially the asylum seekers intended to go to Australia instead of Indonesia," Hikmahanto Juwana said.

"If the Australian Navy continues its policy to drive those illegal immigrants to Indonesian territory, then Indonesian Navy and the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) should provide the  refugees to be able to reach Australia," he added.

Firm action is needed, according to Juwana, to prevent Australia violating Indonesian sovereignty. Under Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Australia is practicing the new policy by sending back illegal immigrants to Indonesia. Indonesia is a popular transit point for illegal immigrants before they reach Australia. 

Recently, Australia turns back a boat with 45 people including nine women, from Sudan, Eritrea, Somali, Ghana, Egypt, Yemen and Lebanon. Finally, Rote Ndao police picked them up after the refugees were stranded in an Indonesian island.

Head of the Kupang Immigration office Silvester Sililaba stated that the people would be accommodated at a former immigration office building as the Kupang Immigration detention house is already overloaded. 

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