JAKARTA - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has ensured that the conditions of Indonesian citizens (WNI) in Sri Lanka are in good condition, amid the dynamic internal conditions of the country due to large demonstrations related to the crisis.
There are a total of 340 Indonesian citizens in Sri Lanka, with the majority residing in the capital city of Colombo, said Director of Indonesian Citizen Protection at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Judha Nugraha.
Judha said, of this number, most of the Indonesian citizens there are migrant workers, with the majority working in the tourism and construction sectors.
"Until now, there is no information on victims from Indonesian citizens or Indonesian citizens who took part in the demonstration," Judha explained in a virtual press statement Thursday, July 14, referring to the massive demonstration on July 9.
He further explained that currently Indonesian citizens working in Sri Lanka are guaranteed food supply, accommodation and transportation from the companies that employ them.
However, as an anticipatory measure, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Indonesian Embassy in Colombo are also updating data, monitoring the condition of Indonesian citizens and coordinating, as well as establishing communication with employers.
And, in accordance with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Regulation No. 5 of 2018 concerning the Protection of Indonesian Citizens Abroad, where each representative office of the Republic of Indonesia prepares a contingency plan. So, plans are also prepared in case of escalation, according to Judha.
In relation to the crisis that hit Sri Lanka, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Indonesian Embassy in Colombo have also distributed aid, for Indonesian citizens who really cannot access the necessities of life.
"Since June 2022, we have delivered logistical assistance to 13 Indonesian citizens in Colombo City, and financial assistance to three people outside Colombo, who were affected by the crisis," said Judha.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also appealed to Indonesian citizens in Sri Lanka to limit travel outside their homes, avoid crowds and crowds, and not to be directly or indirectly involved in the demonstrations that occurred.
As previously reported, thousands of demonstrators broke through police barricades and stormed the official residence of Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, in demonstrations that have been going on for some time due to the current crisis.
VOIR éGALEMENT:
After that, demonstrators also stormed the office of Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. They demanded that the president and prime minister step down from office, present a government that could overcome the worst economic crisis in decades, rebuild Sri Lanka.
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is expected to head to Singapore after fleeing to the Maldives in the early hours of Wednesday. A government source in Sri Lanka told Reuters.
Meanwhile, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe ordered the country's military to do whatever was necessary to restore order, after protesters stormed his office on Wednesday.
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