Detainees end hunger strike in Indonesia

A group of asylum seekers in detention in Indonesia have been released from hospital after they went on a hunger strike.

Eleven Afghan asylum seekers who had been hospitalised after they went on a hunger strike have returned to the detention centre in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province.

The head of East Nusa Tenggara immigration, Sumantri Sihite, downplayed the incident.

He told AAP on Thursday the 11 asylum seekers had been released from hospital and had returned to the centre on Wednesday afternoon.

Indonesian news agency Kompas.com had reported they were in intensive care and being treated for dehydration, citing the local hospital.

Efendi Saragih, head of the detention centre, said the hunger strike began on Monday, with the asylum seekers demanding the International Organisation for Migration transfer them for resettlement.

Mr Sumantri said the 11 had been at the detention centre for differing periods of time, up to two years, and had been granted refugee status.

However, no decisions had been made by the resettlement countries, including Australia.

"But there's problem with quota. Some (destination countries) have closed, Europe now in trouble," Mr Sumantri said.


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Source: AAP


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