DPR: No Indonesian Citizens Should Be Left In Nepal

Protests in Nepal/PHOTO via Wikimedia Commons

JAKARTA - Member of Commission I DPR Junico Siahaan, said that his party continues to monitor the Government's efforts to evacuate Indonesian citizens (WNI) after the riots due to massive demonstrations in Kathmandu, Nepal. In addition to the return process, Junico also asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemlu) to facilitate the needs of Indonesian citizens who still chose to survive in the country.

Junico emphasized that the safety of Indonesian citizens abroad is a constitutional mandate of the state. Therefore, he encouraged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and all Indonesian diplomatic representatives to ensure that the evacuation process was carried out quickly, coordinated, and without discrimination.

"No Indonesian citizens should be left in a crisis situation," Junico told reporters, Friday, September 19.

The PDIP politician who is familiarly called Nico also expressed his gratitude to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Indonesian representatives in Nepal who helped the return of Indonesian citizens to their homeland. Even so, Nico reminded the government that protection measures not only stop at repatriation, but also facilitate the needs of Indonesian citizens who are still surviving.

"Both logistics and security needs, to psychological and administrative assistance for affected Indonesian citizens," said Nico.

According to Nico, the traumatic situation caused by riots in Nepal must be handled with a humane approach. That way, both Indonesians who live in Nepal and those who make brief visits when riots occur can return to their activities in peace and security.

"Assistance should not just be to repatriate, but to help and facilitate the needs of those who choose to survive. Including the families of Indonesian citizens here also need to be facilitated if it is difficult to communicate with their family members in Nepal," said the legislator from the West Java I electoral district.

Nico also appealed to the Government to strengthen the early warning and crisis communication system in all Indonesian representatives abroad. He considered that every potential political and security escalation in friendly countries must be anticipated immediately so that Indonesian citizens get information and protection as early as possible.

"Protecting the entire Indonesian nation does not stop at home, but also abroad. Commission I of the DPR RI will continue to oversee so that every Indonesian citizen, wherever they are, gets full protection guarantees from the state," Nico concluded.

For information, the number of registered Indonesian citizens is in Nepal, namely 134 people. These Indonesian citizens are divided into two groups where as many as 56 Indonesian citizens live in Nepal, while the second group is 78 Indonesian citizens who make short visits for tourism and other business affairs.

To this day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has facilitated the repatriation of 57 of the 78 Indonesian citizens who made short visits after the riots in Nepal. The evacuation of Indonesian citizens with other short visits is still being carried out in stages. While the remaining 56 Indonesian citizens remained because they already have families in Nepal.

Although the situation is increasingly stable with the inauguration of Interim Minister Sushila Karki, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs urges Indonesian citizens who will travel to Nepal to reconsider or even postpone departure until the situation completely recovers.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also reminded Indonesian citizens who will travel abroad to always pay attention to the security conditions of the destination country and report themselves through the Safe Travel application.

Currently, community activities in Kathmandu are starting to return to normal, such as in shopping centers, shops, tourist destinations, and other crowded centers, although military and police officers are still seen guarding at a number of points.