Saudi Police Arrest 1068 Indonesians
VIVAnews - Saudi Arabian security officers have captured over a thousand of Indonesians who were protesting in front of the Indonesian Consulate General (KJRI) building in Jeddah. Apparently, that is what the protesters wanted. They wanted to be arrested and deported back to Indonesia.
The report was given by Indonesia Foreign Affairs Department spokesperson, Teuku Faizasyah. According to him, the arrest was initiated by protests carried out by hundreds of Indonesians in front of KJRI Jeddah on Thursday night, August 20 local time. They demanded concern about them so that they could return to their home country.
“At 10.30 pm local time (around Friday, 2.30am Indonesia time), there was a protest in front of KBRI Jeddah by about 568 Indonesians (360 males and 208 females) whose residential permit has expired,” Faizasyah said at a press conference at the office of Foreign Affairs Department, Jakarta on Friday, August 21.
The action has forced Saudi Arabian police to arrest and take the protesters to the immigration office’s detention center. The arrest report, Faizasyah said, was apparently expected by hundreds of other Indonesians who also wished to be seized.
“After hearing the report, there were at least 500 other Indonesians, whose permit has expired too, coming to the office. Later they were evacuated by the police and placed in the detention center,” Faizasyah said.
Now, there are 1068 of them staying at the center. “In one hand, (the arrest) is what they ever wanted. But, it is the process that took them here which I am most concerned of,” Faizasyah said.
The Indonesian citizens were intentionally dealing with the immigration office’s security in order to be deported out of Saudi Arabia for free. They are not allowed to leave the country unless they pay the overstay charge. To avoid the obligation, they expect to be placed in certain place before being allowed to fly home to Indonesia.
Some of them are runaway immigrant workers who are also worried about having to pay the fine and ended up joining them staying in improper places such as under the bridge.
A few days ago, Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan Wirajuda said he was concerned about the mental condition of the said Indonesians. Most of them recklessly went to Saudi Arabia for Hajj pilgrimage but do not have a ticket to return home.
By staying together under the bridge and expecting to be caught by security officers to be deported, they would ruin Indonesia’s global image.
The government, according to Faizasyah, has taken inter-departmental coordination steps to carry out the repatriation. A special team has been sent to discuss with Saudi Arabian government about the comprehensive way in dealing with the matter.
“Once they are placed in the detention center, the consequence is deportation,” Faizasyah said. However, the Saudi Arabian government has not given any update on the issue. In fact, they asked the Indonesian government to discuss about it among themselves.
“The problem is finding the money to bring them back home. That’s what we are still figuring out. As a matter of fact, they are responsible for what they have done. Actually, some of them are willing to pay for their repatriation. But they don’t want to pay for the overstay charge,” Faizasyah said.
