When we discuss immigration policy in Australia regarding asylum seekers and refugees, we talk of stopping boats and saving lives but it is rare that we consider those displaced people currently residing in Indonesia.

When I visited Java in January 2015, I met a number of asylum seekers in the towns of Bogor and Cisarua. After hearing them talk about their situation I realised how important it was for Australians to understand the refugee experience in Indonesia. According to UNHCR statistics, as of January 2014, there were 7110 asylum seekers and 3206 refugees residing in Indonesia, awaiting resettlement. Most, if not all, of these people are trying to use Indonesia as a stepping stone to Australia. However, changes to Australia’s asylum seeker policy over the last few years has left thousands stranded in Indonesia without support with little hope of ever being resettled.

The Indonesia Project is an attempt to document what happens to the refugees on our doorstep.