Rp200 Billion Required to Evacuate Indonesian Citizens in Middle East

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The Indonesian government needs some Rp200 billion to evacuate Indonesian citizens, including Indonesian workers, from the Middle East. The evacuation will be carried out in light of the US governments plan to attack Iraq. Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea made this statement to reporters in Jakarta on Friday (24/01). Nuwa Wea admitted that the government does not yet have the budget for the evacuation. We are yet to receive the budget, said Nuwa Wea. However, he promised that the government would look for the budget from various sources. Nuwa Wea said that the government would evacuate Indonesian citizens, particularly those staying in countries bordering with Iraq such as Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Kuwait. They will be evacuated to other countries in Middle East that are considered safer. If the area is really in an emergency situation, the Indonesian government will then repatriate its citizens back home. However, Nuwa Wea said he was pessimistic that governments of Middle East countries would be willing to take responsibility for the safety of Indonesian citizens and workers should the Iraq war actually take place. He was not sure either whether or not Indonesian Labor Services Contractor (PJTKI) companies and the Service Companies Association (Apjati) would guarantee the safety of Indonesian workers in the Middle East. The United Nations (UN) inspection team on Iraqi nuclear weapons is scheduled to report the result of its inspection on January 27, 2003. Whether or not the US military attacks Iraq depends on the inspection teams result, said Nuwa Wea. According to Nuwa Wea, in approaching January 27, 2003, Indonesian government must prepare for the possibility of having to evacuate its citizens to the closest country that is considered safe. He mentioned United Arab Emirates (UAE) as a possible evacuation destination. Nuwa Wea plans to meet with representatives of Middle East countries in Jakarta, the PJTKI and the Apjati on Monday (27/01) to discuss this matter. (Retno Sulistyowati-Tempo News Room)