The Indonesian Ministry Of Foreign Affairs Has Repatriated 1,119 Indonesian Citizens From The Emergency Zone In 2023

Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi (Photo: Antara)

The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that a total of 1,119 Indonesian citizens were successfully repatriated to their homeland from areas experiencing emergencies in various parts of the world throughout 2023.

"The repatriation of Indonesian citizens has been successfully carried out from various emergency situations, including from conflict zones and natural disasters, including during the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, as well as the conflict in Sudan and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Palestine," Retno said quoting Antara.

When opening the agenda for the awarding of Hassan Wirajuda for the Protection of Indonesian Citizens (HWPA) 2023 at Taman Ismail Marzuki, Retno acknowledged the very dynamic world conditions caused by natural disasters, armed conflicts, and other dynamics, demanding that his party be more active in protecting Indonesian citizens.

"Therefore, the challenges ahead to ensure Indonesian citizens around the world are protected will become more complex," said the Foreign Minister.

Moreover, the number of problematic Indonesian citizens abroad in 2023 was recorded at 53,598 cases, an increase of more than 50 percent compared to the number of cases in 2022 of 35,149 cases.

The Foreign Minister also highlighted the trend of recruiting workers, including Indonesian citizens, in online gambling companies and online scams in Southeast Asia, increasing in recent years.

"This is the starting point for labor exploitation to occur in TIP," he said.

However, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to try to protect Indonesian citizens wherever they are as an effort to realize the fourth paragraph of the Preamble to the 1945 Constitution which mandates the state to "protect the entire Indonesian nation," he asserted.

The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday again awarded the 2023 HWPA award to 23 individuals and entities deemed meritorious in efforts to protect Indonesian citizens abroad. A number of recipients of the award are known to have contributed to ensuring the safety of Indonesian citizens in disaster zones or conflicts.

One of them is the Indonesian Ambassador to Sudan, Sunarko who contributed to protecting Indonesian citizens in the midst of a civil war that was raging in the country and succeeded in evacuating Indonesian citizens to a place that was safe from war.

The award was also given to the Indonesian Ambassador to Turkey for the 2019'2023 period. Then Muhamad Iqbal, who at the big earthquake in the south of the country in early 2023, contributed to ensuring the safety of Indonesian citizens affected by the earthquake and took the initiative to send disaster management assistance to local residents immediately.