Pekanbaru Immigration Detainess Must Sign No- Escape Pledge

Pekanbaru, Riau, Dec 7 (ANTARA) - Inmates of Pekanbaru's Immigration Detention Center (Rudenim) are now required to sign a written pledge that they will not try to escape, the center's chief said.

"To prevent them from escaping, the immigrants are asked to sign a written pledge that they will not escape from the detention house," Yanizur. the head of Pekandaru's Immigration Detention Center, said here Tuesday.

The immigrants at the detention center were also made to promise they would not create trouble or problems during their stay at the facility. Otherwise, they would be deported from Indonesia, Yanizur said.

Previously, twenty-eight Afghan immigrants managed to escape from Pekanbaru's immigration detention center after they had dug a hole through out the detention house. Four of them were later recaptured by the police and returned to the detention house.

The rest of the immigrants occupying the detention house received instructions from the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

"We have also asked IOM to tell the immigrants not to make any trouble while staying at the center," he said.

The detention center's management in cooperation with UNHCR and IOM had warned the immigrants that whoever tried to escape or violated the detention rules would be deported from Indonesia," he said.

After the breakout of the 24 Afghans last Saturday. the Pekanbaru Immigration Detention Center was holding a total of 49 immigrants.

They consisted of adult men and women and also children, boys, and girls, he said.

They seemed sad and upset because they couldn't escape with the 24 Afghans. he said.

However, there was no change in the treatment of the immigrants after the escape occurred. The immigrants were allowed to meet or socialize with each other in the detention center's hall and living room.

"Although there is no change in their treatment. we have increased security by assigning four additional guards from the police. They guard the detention house at night," he said.