Indonesia has yet to receive info on 16 boat passengers

"I remain following the procedure that the information we receive should be from the official source (the Australian immigration office)," spokesman for the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra, Dino Kusnadi, told ANTARA here Thursday.

Until now, the Indonesian embassy has yet to receive any information from the Australian immigration office on the names, origins and purposes of their trip, although Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has confirmed that they are Indonesians, he said.

However, the Indonesian embassy has received reports from both unofficial and official sources in Indonesia and Australia informing a strong indication that the boat passengers are Indonesians hailing from Rote island, he said.

"While waiting for official reports from the immigration office, we have also conveyed the Indonesian embassy`s intention to provide consular helps to the 16 people (to the Australian authorities)," he said.