Illegal Sri Lankan immigrants stop hunger strike

Illegal immigrants from Sri Lanka stopped their hunger strike on Saturday after meeting with representatives from the navy and the International of Migration.

The hunger strike by male adults since Thursday aboard Jaya Lestary 5 boat that docked at Indah Kiat Port in Merak, Banten, ended at 5.30 pm, after their representative Alek met with the chief of the Banten naval base, Col S. Irawan, head of the immigration division of the regional office of the Justice and Human Rights Ministry, Harry Purwanto, and a representative from the IOM aboard naval ship KRI Teuku Umar.

The Sri Lankan immigrants totalling 255 were seeking an asylum in Australia.

"Today we will stop the hunger strike but we will remain on the boat and will not land," Alek said.

Antara