Green Boat Accesses Yap Harbor Seeking Aid

The Sinar Harapan 02, a green boat in distress involving 36 undocumented persons, entered Yap harbor on November 18, 2014, seeking food, water and fuel because they had run out of provisions a few days before their arrival.

The FSM National government and State of Yap government are working together utilizing national, state, and local resources to assist the urgent needs of the green boat group of individuals, which assistance is also being supplemented by help from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Micronesian Society of Red Cross, and other international agencies and organizations. The National and State governments, along with their local and international partners, are actively committed to working together efficiently and effectively to ensure cross-collaboration based on morning briefings covering daily needs, projections, on-hand resources, and legal updates.  

Congress approved $25,000 from the General Fund of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) on November 26, 2014, to provide emergency support “to defray humanitarian assistance costs of the emergent humanitarian situation in Yap State, and for other purposes.” It is expected that President Manny Mori will take immediate action to sign and implement into law as soon as it is transmitted from Congress. In addition to the $25,000, other national, state, and international funds are being utilized to assist ongoing efforts to determine the status of these undocumented individuals while meeting their humanitarian needs.

Aboard the green boat were 2 persons from Indonesia, 16 from Nepal, and 18 from India. Because the individuals arrived without any documentation, information as to their identities is being confirmed. In addition, mixed reports and information provided by the green boat group has delayed confirmation of their legal status. According to officials, the undocumented individuals have not sought refugee status from the FSM since their arrival although they originally claimed they were going to seek refugee status in Hawaii.  The FSM Department of Foreign Affairs is monitoring the situation and reaching out to various governments that may be involved.  It is hoped that the legal status of all members of the green boat group will be established within the next week, which will help determine the next steps needed to repatriate individuals, if appropriate.