Pakistan, Nigeria 'risks' for RI

Rendi A. Witular and Lilian Budianto , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Mon, 07/13/2009 11:26 AM | Headlines

A high potential for security threats, drug abuse and refugee inflow has triggered the immigration office to include 15 countries in its latest list of riskiest nations whose citizens are required to undergo strict immigration checks, including a screening by intelligence agencies, when entering the country.

A copy of the list, obtained recently by The Jakarta Post, shows Pakistan and Nigeria - two countries with close ties to Indonesia - have been included because their policies open chances for nationals from neighboring countries to use their passport for overseas travel.

Nationals from the two countries have been the subject of extra screening over the past year.

"We're trying to minimize risks, because Pakistani and Nigerian passports are often misused by people from other nations," says Maroloan J. Baringbing, spokesman for immigration directorate general.

A source at the immigration office says Afghan nationals often use Pakistani passports to travel to Indonesia to get to Australia illegally.

"Some Pakistani nationals are believed to have links with terrorist networks," says the source. "So we're taking extra measures in granting them visas."

Under the immigration policy, citizens of the 15 countries are required to get security clearance from 14 different Indonesian agencies, including from the National Intelligence Agency (BIN), the military intelligence agency of BAIS and Foreign Ministry, before they can receive visas to enter the country, according to Baringbing.

The latest list was issued in March, and is up for review in six months.

The immigration office says Albania, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Tonga were dropped from the list in March. Zimbabwe was the only new country added to the list in March.

In response to the policy, the Pakistani Embassy's press and cultural attach*, Saeed Javed, said: "There are no restrictions on the issuance of visas to prospective visitors from Indonesia. All visa applications ... are evaluated in line with standard regulations as prevalent internationally," he said.

An official from the Nigeria Embassy, who refused to be named, merely said the embassy was not aware of the policy, as there had never been any officially notice.

"We have to wait for a response from our government in Nigeria ... As of now, we would like to have an official notification before we can go with similar action *against Indonesian citizens*," said the diplomat.