Ex-ISIS Repatriation; House Speaker Asks Govt Not to Hurry

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Puan Maharani has called on the government to be meticulous in discussing the possible repatriation of ex-ISIS Indonesians. She said there were a number of things to consider prior to the repatriation.

Puan explained the first thing to observe is their legal status as citizens. “First, you have to check if these 600 Indonesians still have their passports. Did they voluntarily ditch their Indonesian passports and then go to a country to later become ISIS; that is the first thing we must observe and pay close attention to," she said at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, on Monday, February 10, 2020.

Puan added the second was the reasons why they wanted to return to Indonesia. "Then, is there still a desire from them to return to Indonesia as Indonesian citizens?" she said.

Thus, Puanappealed to the government not to be hasty in dealing with this matter. She said it was better to learn the actual situation and condition there first.

Puan explained the government would need to collect data as to which of the ex-ISIS Indonesians still considered themselves Indonesian citizens. "Do they still recognize [themselves] as Indonesian citizens? If they do not want to be Indonesian citizens, of course the government must mull over taking a more careful and anticipatory step before repatriating them. So don't be in a hurry," she emphasized.

Reporter: Fikri Arigi | Translator: Dio Suhenda (Intern Translator)