REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Mardani, a legislator from the Justice and Prosperous Party (PKS) considered Australia's turning back boats policy as unilateral action.

"Such a unilateral approach will make Australia be isolated by its neighboring countries," Mardani said here on Tuesday in response to the recent action taken by the Australian Navy, which forced illegal immigrants from Africa and the Middle East to turn back to Indonesia.

Before the wiretapping case that escalated the tension between Indonesia and Australia, the two neighboring countries made coordination in dealing with immigration issues, he said.

But now without the cooperation of Indonesia, Australia unilaterally forced the immigrants to head to Indonesian waters.

"It means Australia does not want to take responsibility over the refugees," he stated.

The lawmaker said the Indonesian government should adopt a stern outlook in dealing with Australia's action, but at the same time should treat the turned-back refugees humanely.

Indonesia should accommodate the refugees for temporary and leave them decide what they want to do next.

"If the refugees want to go back to Australia, it's their rights to decide," he said.

The Indonesian police recently emphasized that the Australian navy has driven out illegal immigrants from Africa and the Middle East to the Indonesian waters.

The boat had 45 people on board, which included nine women and 36 men. They comprised nine from Sudan, two from Eritrea, 28 from Somalia, one from Ghana, three from Egypt, one from Yemen, and one from Lebanon.

They were entering the sea territory of Australia recently, when they were forcibly made to turn towards the Indonesian waters, stated Rote Ndao Police Chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Hidayat.

Finally, the Rote Ndao police rescued the refugees stranded on an Indonesian island.

Head of the Kupang Immigration office Silvester Sililaba noted that the refugees will be accommodated at the former immigration office building as the Kupang Immigration detention house is already overcrowded.

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