WASHINGTON - A group of US lawmakers Thursday protested Malaysia's deportation of 12 asylum seekers to Indonesia's war-torn Aceh province.

The representatives also expressed concern at the fate of up to 250 other refugees, most from Aceh, still being held by Malaysia.

In a letter to Malaysia's ambassador to Washington Ghazzali Sheikh-Abdul-Khalid, the representatives said the return of more asylum seekers to Aceh would be "unacceptable."

The letter raised concern that 12 refugees repatriated last month had returned to a province beset by conflict as Indonesian military officials battle rebels and tainted by allegations of human rights abuse.

Grant full access

"We urge that your Government's authorities abide by international law and not forcibly return any additional Acehnese to Aceh," said the letter.

The representatives called on Malaysia to permit United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) officials full access to the refugees and to allow them to formally apply for asylum if they desired.

The letter was signed by eight representatives including Patrick Kennedy, Christopher Smith, Barney Frank and Dennis Kucinich.

Malaysian authorities have argued that the Acehnese entered the country to seek employment and not to seek refuge,

Malaysia has rejected criticism from the UNHCR over the arrests, saying the Acehnese were picked up because they did not have valid travel documents and that allowing them in could spark a flood of illegal immigrants.

Malaysia, which is not a signatory to the UN convention on refugees, has maintained that it does not recognise refugees or asylum seekers.

Indonesia launched a massive operation to crush separatist guerrillas of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) on May 19 and says more than 700 rebels have been killed since then. - AFP