Help for Asylum Seekers Restricted by Lack of Funds, Claims UNHCR
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18 July 2019 07:02 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Indonesia, Thomas Vargas, admitted to the organization’s lack of funding to assist the asylum seekers in Indonesia.
This situation is also said to be the reason the UNHCR has started a partnership with the Indonesian government and a number of donor agencies in managing 1,100 asylum seekers that are now settled at a temporary shelter located at the former building of the West Jakarta Military Command (Kodim).
Vargas on Wednesday, July 17, explained that they have worked together with Dompet Dhuafa, Tzu Chi Foundation, Palang Merah Indonesia (PMI) dan International Organization for Migration (IOM).
He claims that the UNHCR in its current capacity can only assist 300-400 asylum seekers who are considered to be most vulnerable in the group of refugees.
“With a limited amount of funding we have supported 300 or 400 asylum seekers, however, we understand that their needs exceed the number of funds we have,” said Thomas Vargas.
Out of the budget the UNHCR has targeted, they only managed to gather 29 percent. Thomas also expressed gratitude for the assistance given by the Jakarta administration recently.
MUH HALWI | DA
