P

EKANBARU, Riau: The immigration office has deported 30 illegal immigrants to Iraq and Afghanistan after they had become so depressed that some had attempted suicide.

Their repatriation was arranged in cooperation with the International Organization of Migration, head of the Pekanbaru immigration detention center Yanizur told Antara news agency here on Wednesday.

“They wanted to go home, so in fact it’s not deportation. They become depressed in their overcrowded detention center because their future in Indonesia was uncertain,” he said. Yanizur said one of the Iraqi immigrants had tried to kill himself because his flight had been delayed.

The 30 illegal aliens include 22 Iraqis and 8 Afghans who were arrested in Indonesian waters while attempting to travel to Australia on boats.

“Indonesia is just a transit country for the migrants seeking asylum in Australia,” he said. — JP