THE INCREASING NUMBER OF ASYLUM SEEKERS IN INDONESIA; THE LINKAGE BETWEEN THE PUSH AND THE PULLFACTORS (2008-2011)

Abstract

The issue of refugees and asylum seeker are the classical problem that happened in the human civilization due to the intense of fear being threatened for their safety. Threat might come from natural disasters or the disasters that made by man. The rapid world population growth, environmental condition and also political or security situation that do not support the secure continuity of life have driven people to move out from their area of origin and seek for a better places. Asylum seeker is someone who is seeking international protection as individuals or in groups. In countries with individual procedures, asylum seekers petition is someone who has not been decided by the state in which the petition is filed. Each application may not be granted asylum as a refugee, but every refugee is an asylum seeker first. It is obvious that according to UNHCR Indonesia the number of asylum seekers who applying for asylum in Indonesia are highly increasing around 2008 till 2011 and it's will be more in another year. The occurrence of the increasing the number asylum seeker in Indonesia caused by many things, but the most influential factors are the push and pull factors. The push factors are coming from the country of origin; this includes the natural disaster, political instability, the lack of unemployment which can cause extreme poverty, war or conflict and lack of natural resources. While the pull factors are factors that attract the migrants to be smuggled, this factor is coming from the destination countries, which covers the existence of a safe, secure environment; improved economic opportunities; familial and cultural connections; and lifestyle considerations. Therefore to improve and find the solution in this research, one of the ways is to know the push and pull factors itself in order to give better solutions through good cooperation between among states and other international organization.