RI citizens in Mideast told to prepare for evacuation
RI citizens in Mideast told to prepare for evacuation
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The government has evacuated 25 of 84 Indonesians living in Iraq
and warned nationals in other Middle Eastern countries to be
ready to evacuate if the United States decides to take military
action against Iraq.
The chairman of a national task force in charge of evacuating
citizens in Middle Eastern countries, Gen. (ret) Widodo A.S.,
said here on Friday that there were some 40,000 Indonesians
living in Syria, Jordan, Kuwait and Qatar who should be evacuated
in the event that there is a war in Iraq.
"Our embassies in those countries have alerted our citizens
there to be ready should the government decide to evacuate them,"
Widodo said after a meeting with President Megawati
Soekarnoputri.
Widodo said that his team was working closely with several
international organizations, such as the International
Organization of Migration (IOM), United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Red Cross, for the planned
evacuation.
"We are prepared but of course the implementation of the plan
will be decided on following the developments in Iraq," he said.
The four-star general said that the government had no choice
but to prepare a contingency plan as geographically those
countries would be affected by a war in Iraq.
Widodo, who was appointed to lead the task force by Megawati
last week, has to report directly to the President even if it
comes under the authority of the Coordinating Ministry for
Political and Security Affairs.
The task force oversees the evacuation program for Indonesian
citizens in Middle Eastern countries and handles any reactions at
home against possible U.S. attacks on Iraq.
The United States and close ally Britain have accused Iraq of
producing weapons of mass destruction and told Iraq to disarm or
face the full brunt of military might.
Iraq has consistently denied the accusation but allowed United
Nations inspectors in to investigate the allegation. The team has
accused Iraq of not fully cooperating with UN investigators.
The U.S. and Britain have sent troops to Iraq's borders,
warning the world that they would strike with or without UN
consent.
Indonesia has called on the U.S. to exercise self-restraint
and allow the UN team to search for Iraq's alleged weapons of
mass destruction.
The government is also preparing a contingency plan to get
Indonesian citizens, mostly migrant workers, out of the Middle
East. It has also suspended the departures of those planning to
work in those countries.
Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said on
Thursday that Middle Eastern countries fully understood Jakarta's
plan to ensure the safety of its citizens.
"They welcome our decisions to prepare a contingency plan as
they are fully aware of the fact that it would be difficult for
them to safeguard foreigners during times of war," Hassan said.
He underlined the fact that none of those countries complained
about the evacuation plan.
"They understand that we have an obligation to ensure the
safety of our citizens there and not because we undermine their
capability of securing their own country," Hassan said.