SBY to support Komodo park during Kupang visit

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 02/02/2011 10:08 AM | National

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and several ministers will visit Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), on Feb . 8 and vote for Komodo National Park as one of the world’s new seven natural wonders.

“They will cast their votes for the park on the sidelines of the National Press Day celebration,” NTT National Press Day committee head Andre Koreh said on Wednesday.

First Lady Kristiani “Ani” Herawati, Timor Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao and five ambassadors to Indonesia are scheduled to join the event to support the park’s bid, Andre said as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

Yudhoyono’s stay in NTT from Feb. 8 – Feb. 11 would be the longest ever by an Indonesian president, Andre said.

91 boat people stranded in Kupang

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 01/26/2011 10:26 AM | Archipelago

At least 91 boat people of Middle Eastern origins on their way to Australia in search of political asylum were stranded on Tuesday in Naikliu village in Timor, East Nusa Tenggara.

The group were stranded after their boat was struck by high seas, and are now being detained at North Amfoang Police station.

East Nusa Tenggara Immigration Office chief Rindang Napitupulu confirmed that the group had been detained.

“Yes, those illegal immigrants were stranded in Amfoang since Tuesday evening,” Rindang said Wednesday as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

Most of the group were from Afganistan (68), while others were from Iraq (14), Pakistan (6) and Iran (3). The group comprised 75 men, seven women and five crew members.

Rindang said police and the immigration office had yet to move the group to Kupang, because the road connecting Amfoang to Kupang was impassable in the current weather conditions.