FORMER ASYLUM SEEKERS RETURN FROM AUSTRALIA

Jakarta, Nov 29 (ANTARA) - The ministry of foreign affairs confirmed that two Indonesian citizens of Papua origin, Yunus Wainggai and his daughter Anike Wainggai, arrived in Indonesia Saturday after living almost three years in Australia.
According to a press release received here Saturday, Yunus Wainggai was the skipper of a boat which took 43 Indonesians from Papua to seek asylum in Australia at the end of 2005.
Yunus visited the Indonesian embassy in Canberra,Australia, on November 17 to ask the officials there to facilitate him to go back with his daughter to Indonesia.
Their yearning to rejoin their families was the main reason for their return.
The release mentioned that they had waited too long for Herman Wainggai's promise to return them and the compensation for his boat.
Yunus, who was promised to be returned home after six months with compensation for all his loss, admitted that he did not know that Herman Wainggai and his separatist group was using him for political purposes.
This is the second return to Indonesia of former asylum seekers following Hana Gobay and Yubel Kareni on September 23.
Thus, their return proved that the group's previous claim that they could be prosecuted and tried for fleeing to Australia was not true.
As part of its responsibility the Indonesian government had responded to Yunus' request positively by facilitating their return.