Indonesia: Displaced migrant workers stranded

Bearing in mind that there are still an estimated 600,000 illegal migrant workers from Indonesia in the Malaysian state of Sabah, in the north-west of the island of Borneo, most of whom will be sent back to Malaysia mainly to Nunukan, the situation is going to deteriorate. Already the living conditions of these displaced migrant workers in Nunukan are deplorable. Shelters and barracks are spread over several locations. Many people have to sleep in the open. The situation is exacerbated by the lack of food and water. There are no sanitary facilities. To date more than 70 persons have died from illnesses caused by respiratory problems and diarrhoea. Many others are already seriously ill. But there is only one community health centre with 10 beds. Only 8 doctors and 22 medical staff have to take care of tens of thousands of people.

The government of Malaysia has taken a tough stance on foreigners working in the country illegally after groups of Indonesians rioted in a factory and in a detention centre for illegal immigrants back in December and January. Reportedly hundreds of thousands left to avoid being whipped and jailed after the crackdown on illegal workers in Malaysia and the introduction of a new legislation that came in at the beginning of August.

Between March and end of July 2002, nearly 140,000 people were returned to Nunukan. 30,000 of them remain stranded in the area. In addition tens of thousands enter illegally and are unrecorded. According to estimates by the government aid centre there are up to 100,000 returned persons currently in Nunukan. Sabah, close to Indonesia and the Philippines is thought to be the state with the largest number of illegal workers in Malaysia. The country is home to an estimated 750,000 foreign workers, with perhaps as many more illegally working there.