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Asylum seekers back in Papua
Nethy Dharma Somba , The Jakarta Post , Merauke | Thu, 09/25/2008 9:12 AM | Headlines
Two Papuans who sought asylum in Australia in 2006 have returned to their hometowns, claiming they did not get what had been promised before they left.
Hana Gobay, from Merauke, and Yubel Kareni, from Serui, were part of a group of 43 Papuans who crossed the sea on a boat to Australia on Jan. 13, 2006, claiming they had been oppressed and were thus seeking asylum.
But their motives were revealed to be based on economics rather than politics, at least in the case of Hana.
The 43 Papuans arrived at Cape York demanding asylum, while Hana was promised she would be able to continue to higher education when offered the opportunity to leave for Australia.
Hana claimed she paid Rp 7 million to Herman Wanggai, the leader of the fleeing Papuans, for a passport and visa.
When rounded up on Christmas Island, the group was asked by a lawyer from an NGO to sign a letter agreeing not to communicate with any Indonesians in Australia.
After three months of assimilation on Christmas Island, the group was then dispersed to various cities in Australia, with Hana and Yubel sent to Melbourne. The two received protection visas and were placed in a home designated for poor people.
Hana was given English language and computer courses while in the halfway house.
In July, Yubel gained access to the Indonesian Consulate General in Melbourne and contacted Jahar Gultom, the consul for economic affairs, expressing her wish to be repatriated.
The consulate general contacted the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra, which then reported the matter to the Foreign Ministry in Jakarta.
“Their wish to go home was then taken care of by the Australian and Indonesian governments,” said Jahar, who accompanied Hana to Merauke.
When other asylum seekers learned of the pair’s intention to go home, rumors spread that they would be jailed and killed once they arrived in Indonesia.
“The rumors were circulated by Herman. But I am sure they are not true, and I was committed to going home,” Hana said.
“I miss my parents and hometown. My future is in Papua and not in Australia. The promises were not fulfilled.”
Other asylum seekers said if Hana and Yubel were unharmed after returning home, they would follow suit.
“If they want to return, we will take care of them because they are Indonesian citizens,” Jahar said.
Arriving at Mopah Airport in Merauke on a flight from Bali, Hana was greeted with tears and hugs by her mother Bastina Gobay and other family members.
“Welcome home,” a tearful Bastina said.
“We considered her a missing daughter, but we kept praying she would return. God has answered our prayers and now we are reunited.”
Merauke Regent John Gluba Gebze was also on hand to welcome Hana, saying happiness “could only be found in one’s own country”.
“There is no freedom and independence as free as those in our own country. Why look for freedom in a foreign land?” he said.
Hana expressed her desire to share her knowledge in English and computers by teaching Papuan children.
