Afghan refugees protest outside UNHCR building in Indonesia over delay in processing asylum applications

Hundreds of Afghan refugees continued to sit in protest outside the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) building in Indonesia over delay in processing their asylum applications.

The Afghan asylum seekers called on UNHCR to process their applications to resettle. They have been protesting for the past four days, but so far UNHCR has not told them anything about their applications, reported Tolo News.

The asylum seekers said they have been in Indonesia for several years waiting to be resettled in a host country, but their applications have not been processed.

"The refugees have started a peaceful protest outside the UNHCR building. This is the fourth night that we are here, and so far we have not heard from the UNHCR," a protester said.

Indonesia is not a party to the 1951 Convention relating to the status of refugees and thus serves as a transit country for the refugees.

( With inputs from ANI )