Denpasar – Members of the Ahmadiyah religious group sought asylum Monday at the Australian diplomatic mission in Denpasar and claimed the government neglected their needs.

Representatives of the group, accompanied by two legal advisers, met with staff from the Australian consulate-general in Denpasar. They told them they felt abandoned by the local government, which had promised them a safe haven to live and practice their faith.

About 187 members of Ahmadiyah – a splinter group of Islam that follows the teachings of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad – fled their homes in Lingsar district, West Lombok, from attacks in February. They are now living in a shelter in Denpasar.

"We came here to seek asylum from the Australian consulate-general and report to it about the poor handling by the local government," one of the legal advisers, Syamsir Ali, was quoted as saying by Antara newswire.

He said the local government paid little attention to the members. "There isn't any medical care nor education for us. Some of our members even died from the lack of medical care."

He quoted deputy consul general Adelaide Worcester as saying the consulate-general would relay the members' demand to the Australian Embassy in Jakarta.

February's attack came after growing unease among locals about the presence of Ahmadiyah members in the village, especially after rumors spread of the planned construction of a boarding school. A mob stoned the Ahmadiyah compound and set buildings on fire, injuring at least four people.

Many Indonesian Muslims consider Ahmadiyah a heretical sect because it recognizes Pakistani Mirza as the last prophet, instead of Prophet Muhammad

Human rights advocates have criticized the police's slow handling of attacks on the group, which has been officially recognized in Indonesia since 1953.