Living Rough
Around 50 people, including children, from Afghanistan, Sudan and Somalia are forced to live on the roadside in front of an immigration detention center in Kalideres, West Jakarta, after it ran out of space for more refugees on Friday (05/01).
The refugees have resorted to sleeping on carpets on the pavement, while using tree branches to hang their clothes and using discarded carton boxes to store their personal belongings.
When it rains, they take shelter in the homes of nearby residents or kiosks belonging to local traders. They pay Rp 3,000 (2 US cents) to make use of public bathrooms in the area.
"After we fled Afghanistan, we were stranded on the ocean and now we are stranded on the side of the road," one refugee said.
Most of the asylum seekers, who arrived in the country three weeks ago, have yet to receive any assistance from the Indonesian government, the United Nations refugee agency, or the International Organization for Migration.
Faridullah Zazai, a 25-year-old Afghan man who has already been in Indonesia for four years, paid a visit to the area on Friday to see how he can assist his fellow countrymen living on the roadside.
"I've been here a few times to help my brothers here; they live in poverty and their children do not receive proper care. The only food and medicine they get, come from residents. They really appreciate the very kind people around here," Zazai said.
He told the Jakarta Globe that he decided to come to the archipelago because his home in Paktia Province is located in a conflict zone, which makes life there impossible. He is still hoping to obtain a permit to work in Indonesia, but has yet to receive one.
The asylum seekers are meanwhile surviving on handouts they receive from local residents.
Twelve-year-old Milad said his younger brother, Nawid (5), sustained a deep gash on his forehead after becoming stuck in the gate outside the Jakarta Immigration Detention Center. However, some residents provided them with medicine to treat the wound.
A resident living in the area, who requested to remain anonymous, expressed hope that the government will take prompt action to improve the asylum seekers' living conditions, adding that they deserve better treatment.
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