Indonesia's Minister Mahfud MD to Invite Political Exiles in Europe Back Home
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4 July 2023 22:46 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs (Menkopolhukan) Mahfud MD revealed his plan to pay a visit and invite Indonesia's political exiles in Europe back to the home country. They were exiled following the political events in 1965.
“I will visit some European countries and bring home those who are willing to,” Mahfud said in a working meeting of the First Commission of the House of Representatives, on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
Mahfud stated that the exiles were not guilty and instead were wrongfully stripped of their citizenship without due process of law. The majority of them were on President Soekarno’s administration scholarships to study abroad and could not enter Indonesia. After having their citizenship revoked, they had to survive years of living abroad. The exiles were granted asylums, then found jobs and families abroad.
Some of the exiles are still willing to come back
According to Minister Mahfud, some of the exiles were stuck abroad for as long as 32 years until they are 82 years old. Mahfud mentioned that some of these exiles are still willing to go back to Indonesia and have their citizenship recognized. However, he also mentioned some of the exiles already settle into their lives abroad and are unwilling to go back.
“They just want their pride and love towards this country to be recognized, to be rightfully returned back to their country with this, why disagree? Why call this unlawful?”, Mahfud remarked.
Previously, Mahfud revealed that around 136 exiles are currently abroad. They were victims of the G30S revolts in 1965-1966, the 1998 riots, and the Simpang KKA incident. These exiles are spread across several countries, such as the Netherlands, Russia, Czech, Sweden, Slovenia, Albania, Bulgaria, Syria, England, Germany, and Malaysia.
M JULNIS FIRMANSYAH
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