REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Indonesia and Australia need to discuss the issue of asylum seekers to avoid any imminent blame game, stated Indonesia Democratic Party Struggle (PDIP) Secretary General Tjahjo Kumolo.

"The two governments must sit together to discuss the issue so that they would not blame each other," he noted in his message to Antara here on Tuesday.

Tjahjo made the statement in response to the case of 45 asylum seekers from Middle Eastern countries who were forced to turn back towards the Indonesian waters by the Australian Navy in Ndao, East Nusa Tenggara, on Monday (Jan. 6).

This case shows that despite the recent settlement of the wiretapping issue, the relations between Indonesia and Australia are still strained, he added.

He noted that the asylum seekers' destination was Australia, rather than Indonesia, which they had only used as a way to reach their destination.

"So, it is reasonable that the two countries tried to drive the boat of illegal immigrants away because the problem is quite complex," he added.

On Monday, the Australian Navy drove 45 illegal immigrants, comprising nine women and 36 men, from Middle Eastern countries back to the Indonesian waters in Rote Ndau, as they were trying to enter Australia. The local police then detained the immigrants.

Nine of the immigrants are from Sudan, two from Eritrea, 20 from Somalia, one from Ghana, one from Lebanon, three from Egypt, and one from Yaman.

Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika