Special team preparing evacuation from Mideast<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A special team set up to deal with the effects of a potential
\ncrisis in Iraq embarked on a two-week visit to eight countries in
\nthe Middle East on Thursday to make arrangements in the event of
\na war.<\/p>\n
Team leader Adm. (ret) Widodo Adisucipto said that Indonesia
\nwould likely evacuate its citizens in dangerous areas to Syria,
\nQatar and Saudi Arabia which were considered to be relatively
\nsafe.<\/p>\n
"At first, we will meet officials from eight Middle Eastern
\ncountries to convey a message from President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri to ask for their help should it be deemed necessary
\nto evacuate.<\/p>\n
"We will also meet all the Indonesian citizens living there to
\nexplain the whole process of evacuation if the situation worsens
\nin Iraq," said Widodo, the former chief of the Indonesian
\nMilitary (TNI).<\/p>\n
The Eight countries are Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Iran, Kuwait,
\nSaudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.<\/p>\n
According to Widodo, some 50,000 Indonesians are living in the
\nregion and most of them work as domestic servants in the informal
\nsector.<\/p>\n
Some one hundred Indonesians studying in Iraq have already
\nflown home due to the escalating tension between the United
\nStates and Iraq over the issue of weapons of mass destruction.<\/p>\n
"Such preparations should not be perceived as if we
\n(Indonesian government) see a war in Iraq as inevitable ... our
\nstance is still clear, to push for a peaceful solution," Widodo
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Indonesian religious leaders had earlier expressed their
\nconcern over the heightened tension between Washington and
\nBaghdad, following allegations that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein
\nis developing weapons of mass destruction as well as aiding and
\nabetting the al-Qaeda terrorist network which claimed
\nresponsibility for the Sept. 11 attacks.<\/p>\n
The United States' tough stance on Iraq has met opposition
\nfrom three of its traditional European allies, Belgium, France
\nand Germany, as well as most Muslim countries, including
\nIndonesia. In addition to antiwar demonstrations held by tens of
\nthousands of Muslims here, religious groups and independent
\nfigures have sent a peace mission to Europe and Australia to seek
\nsupport for their mission to prevent war in Iraq.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/special-team-preparing-evacuation-from-mideast-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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