Embassy defends decision not to evacuate citizens<\/p>\n
By Santi WE Soekanto<\/p>\n
PHNOM PENH (JP): Indonesia's decision not to evacuate some 400
\noff its citizens when factional fighting broke out early last
\nmonth was the most appropriate politically, according to the
\nDefense Attache at the Indonesian Embassy here.<\/p>\n
\"There's only one reason that an evacuation should be called
\nfor -- for safety. The safety of Indonesians here was never
\nthreatened,\" Yuktayana Tjitrawasita said.<\/p>\n
Had Jakarta called for an unwarranted evacuation, he said, the
\npsychological and political impact would have been very damaging
\nto Indonesia's relations with Cambodia.<\/p>\n
Most Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries
\nevacuated their citizens shortly after fighting broke out between
\nforces loyal to First Prime Minister Prince Norodom Ranariddh and
\nthose to Second Prime Minister Hun Sen.<\/p>\n
Authorities in Jakarta announced then that it had made
\npreparations, if an evacuation was necessary. Yuktayana said the
\ndecision not to evacuate was made in full consultation with the
\nIndonesian Embassy here.<\/p>\n
\"There's only one higher consideration for evacuation, and
\nthat is the political stance of the government in Jakarta, but
\nJakarta consulted us,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Embassy spokesman Rusmaldi Dawanie said about 50
\nIndonesians, mostly women and children, left Cambodia in the
\ntension that followed the fighting on July 6. \"And they used
\ncommercial flights, not the Hercules aircraft that were stationed
\nin readiness in Jakarta,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Sending home Indonesians, many of them well-paid workers of
\nsome Western companies, would have also involved seeing them home
\nsafely and answering questions about lost jobs and income,
\nYuktayana said.<\/p>\n
Reports of sporadic fighting still poured in yesterday, mostly
\ntaking place in areas bordering Cambodia and Thailand, such as
\nBanteay Meanchey.<\/p>\n
In Phnom Penh, daily life goes on as usual with various social
\nand economic activities taking place. The Cambodian National
\nAssembly also held a meeting yesterday, chaired by acting
\nchairman Loy Sim Chheang of FUNCINPEC.<\/p>\n
Prince Ranariddh left the country on July 4, reportedly on the
\nadvice of one of the generals of his royalist party FUNCINPEC,
\nNhiek Bun Chhay.<\/p>\n
The next afternoon, the minister of defense from Hun Sen's
\nCambodian People's Party (CPP) gathered foreign diplomats and
\ntold them of a \"mopping-up operation\" planned for July 6, when
\nthe military would confiscate weapons from \"unauthorized people\".
\nExpatriates were advised to stay at home.<\/p>\n
Fighting broke out during the operation, lasting a whole day,
\nwith many FUNCINPEC legislators and other Ranariddh loyalists
\nfleeing the capital and the country.<\/p>\n
According to Yuktayana, Hun Sen broadcast a televised message
\nthat night saying the operation was completed and that he
\nguaranteed expatriates' safety.<\/p>\n
During the next several days, however, some ASEAN countries
\nevacuated their citizens, even though Pochentong Airport was
\nscheduled to be reopened for domestic and international flights
\non July 8 and 9 respectively.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/embassy-defends-decision-not-to-evacuate-citizens-1447893297",
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