Public Order Crackdown and Refugee Relocation Efforts
The South Jakarta Municipal Government collaborated with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Immigration Detention Center (Rudenim) to clear and document foreign refugees camping on sidewalks along Jalan Setiabudi Selatan. This joint operation follows mounting complaints from local residents who stated that the makeshift settlements severely disrupted public order and pedestrian access.
Setiabudi Deputy District Head Rizki Noviana Purnama revealed that local authorities have been managing the refugee situation in the area since 2022. Despite repeated enforcement actions aimed at restoring pedestrian infrastructure and cleanliness, groups of refugees consistently returned to the site, prompting municipal officials to take a more definitive, coordinated approach.
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While international law protects these individuals, UNHCR Field Security Associate Linda Boboy emphasized that foreign refugees must strictly comply with Indonesian laws and regulations. She affirmed that local law enforcement maintains full authority to take decisive action against any violations, adding that the agency is actively seeking accommodation to properly relocate the 32 refugees currently displaced.
As part of the latest administrative measures, the immigration department is requiring the affected refugees to sign formal pledge agreements promising to vacate public spaces. The Immigration Detention Center has further proposed the establishment of a dedicated, decent housing facility to permanently prevent refugees from setting up temporary camps on urban streets.