RI evacuates nonessential embassy staff from Iraq

RI evacuates nonessential embassy staff from Iraq

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian government has begun evacuating its non-essential
embassy staff and their families from Baghdad, in the face of a
possible U.S. attack on Iraq.

The evacuation began this week, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
spokesman Marty Natalegawa said on Wednesday.

In addition almost half of the 77 Indonesians living in Iraq
had accepted flights home provided by the Indonesian government,
Marty said.

"We are also preparing a contingency plan for our citizens
living in Iraq's neighboring countries for an immediate
evacuation should the war erupt."

Indonesia has around 33,000 citizens, mainly migrant workers,
in Middle East countries such as Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates
and Jordan.

The contingency plan includes helping the citizens secure
transit visas before returning to Indonesia.

"The citizens will be transferred by land to the neighboring
countries, before flying back to Jakarta. That's why we need the
transit visa," Marty said.

He denied speculation that the contingency plan reflected a
distrust of the capabilities of the countries to ensure the
safety of Indonesian citizens.

"In times of war we have to prepare measures to save our
citizens."

The country has been bracing itself for a possible attack on
Iraq since the U.S. began flexing its muscles in the region.

U.S. President George W. Bush is slated to announce its plans
in front of congress on Jan. 28, a day after United Nations arms
inspectors submit their report on Iraq's alleged possession of
weapons of mass destruction.

The world is anticipating the worst-case scenario of Bush
declaring a war against Baghdad. The war will spark a wave of
anti-American opposition in Indonesia, the world's most populous
Muslim country.

Jakarta has also prepared a task force to anticipate all
consequences of the U.S. attack on Iraq. A government official
said former Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Adm. (ret). Widodo
A.S. would lead the task force.

The official said the team would be announced next week. They
will have the authority to observe all possible impacts of the
war on the safety of Indonesian citizens.

"The team will carry out the evacuation of our citizens in
Iraq and its neighboring countries, and handle possible security
disturbance in the country as a result of the war," the official
told The Jakarta Post on condition of anonymity on Wednesday.

In the wake of increasing tension in Iraq and its neighboring
countries, the Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration has issued
a circular ordering all labor export companies to suspend
operations to the Middle East from Feb. 1. The circular says
companies who violate the order will be punished.

Minister Jacob Nuwa Wea said on Wednesday the decision was
taken after consulting with Indonesian ambassadors to Middle East
countries.

But the move has raised the eyebrows of ambassadors of some
Middle East countries in Indonesia, according to chief patron of
the Indonesian Employing Agencies Association (Idea) Malik Aliun.

Malik said Wednesday he had met the foreign envoys following
the release of the circular and had been assured the countries
would provide security guarantees for Indonesian workers during
any war.

"They could understand if the policy applies only in Iraq,"
Malik said.

He said there should have been no fear of continuing labor
exports to Middle East countries as it was business as usual
there, with haj pilgrimages in Saudi Arabia continuing and no
commercial flights to the Middle East suspended.