The Government Prepares Options For Ex-ISIS Citizens In The Middle East: To Be Returned Or Not

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD while serving questions from journalists at the Kemenkopolhukam Office (Wardhany Tsa Tsia / VOI)

JAKARTA - The Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menkopolhukam) Mahfud MD said the government had prepared two possibilities related to Indonesian citizens who were ex-ISIS in a number of Middle Eastern countries, including Syria. The two possibilities are, to send them home or not.

"The decision has two alternatives. One will be repatriated, the second will not be repatriated. Of course they will be repatriated because they are citizens, they will not be sent home because they violate the law and their rights can be revoked," Mahfud told reporters at the Kemenkopolhukam Office, Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat, Tuesday, February 4th.

In preparing the two plans, the government has formed a team led by the Chairman of the Counter-Terrorism Agency (BNPT) Suhardi Alius.

"One, the reason for the decision not to be sent home? What risks? Relations with other countries? Where is the FTF? Second, if the decision to be sent home, what is the reason? Then what is the deradicalisation process? How will it be determined, everything will be regulated," said Mahfud.

After the draft has been completed, it will be reported and discussed with Vice President Ma'ruf Amin around April.

Then, after hearing input from the vice president, this draft will be revised before being submitted to President Joko Widodo for further discussion regarding the fate of the 660 former ISIS citizens.

"It will be decided later in May or June. But until today it is still in the process of internal government discussion," said the former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK).

Although there is a possibility of repatriation, however, Mahfud said that a number of countries whose citizens are involved in terrorist organizations have never returned. The reason is that many countries feel threatened by the existence of the ex-combatants if they are sent home.

"But they have laws. So, people who carry out terror can be up to them (other countries). But, we ourselves are not final, we are still discussing the matter (of repatriation)," said Mahfud.

Previously, government authorities such as Kemenkopolhukam together with the National Police, BNPT, State Intelligence Agency (BIN), Ministry of Religion, Ministry of Social Affairs were reviewing plans to repatriate Indonesian ex-combatants in the Middle East.

Minister of Religion Fachrul Razi stated that the plan to repatriate hundreds of Indonesian citizens had not yet been decided. Several considerations are still being debated by the relevant agencies.

"Of course there are many things to consider, both positive and negative impacts," said Fachrul.

According to him, efforts to develop and deradicalise Indonesian citizens who are ex-ISIS are not easy matters considering that they have been exposed to radical ideologies.

"All of us invite and foster them to get closer to the point of gravity of equilibrium, in the form of religious moderation. Hopefully, this can also be done to the former ISIS if they are going to be repatriated," explained Fachrul.

Meanwhile, the police are still digging up information on 600 Indonesian citizens (WNI) who are planned to be repatriated to their homeland after the collapse of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) by America. Because, the status of 47 of them were prisoners.