22 Palestinian Children In Pekanbaru Immigration Detention Center

Pekanbaru, Riau, (Antarariau.com) - Twenty two Palestinian children are among 74 foreign child asylum seekers currently being accommodated in Pekanbaru immigration detention center.

The other children were from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran and Myanmar, Irawan of the Pakanbaru immigration detention center, said here on Friday.

"Forty seven are boys and 27 women," he said.

Of the 74 children, 26 are from Afghanistan, 14 from Iraq, 10 from Iran, and two from Myanmar. Most of them arrived in Indonesia with their parents or relatives.

Fourteen adult Palestinians comprising nine men and five women are also in the center. There are also 88 Afghanistan men and six women, 15 Iranian men and 10 women, 13 Iraqi men and 11 women, one Myanmarese woman, and one Jordanian woman.

The Pekanbaru immigration detention center is over crowded, because it accommodates 264 foreign asylum seekers, while its maximum capacity is 105 people.

"At present, the number of rooms in the Pakanbaru immigration detention center is 18. Ideally, one room is for six persons, instead of 10 persons now," he said.

As the center is over capacity, 200 foreign refugees are now being accommodated in the Pekanbaru immigration office.

Indonesia is a transit country for refugees and asylum seekers intending to go to Australia.