Mother Reveals Andi Angga's Last Message Before Being Abducted by Israeli Troops

Sutrawati Kaharuddin (52), the mother of Andi Angga Sadewa (33), one of Indonesia’s nationals abducted by Zionist Israeli forces during a humanitarian mission to Gaza, Palestine, hopes the government will help secure her son’s release. She revealed that her son departed for Gaza from Marmaris Port in Turkey, aboard a flotilla of volunteer ships in an international humanitarian mission. However, before reaching the destination, the group was reported to have been intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters. Sutrawati’s concerns grew when communications with her son suddenly cut off on Monday (18 May) in the afternoon at around 3:00 pm WITA. The WhatsApp message, usually replied to promptly, only showed a single tick. “At 3 pm yesterday he was still replying to my WhatsApp. Then I said, ‘Brother, mother is very worried, be careful there, lots of prayers, keep saying istighfar.’ Usually he would always reply, but after that there was no further reply,” Sutrawati said in Makassar on Tuesday (19 May). Sutrawati admitted that even before departure she had a bad intuition. She notes that before leaving, her son told his sister that if at some point he could not be reached, his phone would have been thrown into the sea as part of safety procedures. “He told his sister, if later I cannot be contacted, it means (my phone) has been thrown into the sea.” Then videos emerged about the interception of the ships. She said, “I immediately believed, yes Allah, my child has been captured by Zionist Israel.” She said she had even briefly discouraged her eldest son from going to Gaza due to safety concerns. But Andi Angga’s strong resolve to help the people of Palestine softened her stance. “At first I did not give permission. But he said this is a calling of the heart. He felt pity for the Palestinians who were starving. I know when it’s a calling of the heart, I cannot resist. In the end I could only offer my prayers,” she said. The family says there has been no direct communication from the government regarding Andi Angga’s condition. Rumah Zakat, however, has contacted the family and pledged to take responsibility for the safety of their volunteers. Sutrawati hopes the Indonesian government will promptly take diplomatic steps to secure her son’s release. “I plead with the government to release my son immediately. My son is not a terrorist; he is a humanitarian activist. He went there only with medicines and aid for the Palestinian people. Please save my son so that he can return home healthy and safe,” she said.