SBY Prepares Worst-Case Scenario Related to Mesir Condition

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono urged Indonesian citizens in Egypt to stay away from the country's domestic issues, particularly after the overthrow of Egyptian President Mohammad Morsi by the armed forces. "We hope that all Indonesian nationals will be fine during the transition period," Presidential spokesman Julian Aldian Pasha said earlier today, July 4.

Until now, the government has yet to state any plan to bring Indonesian nationals out of Egypt. President SBY asked Indonesian Ambassador Nurfaizi to keep monitoring the political and security conditions in Egypt. Julian said SBY has also asked the Ambassador to keep in contact with Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa to anticipate the worst case scenario, by facilitating Indonesian nationals to come home should things get worse. However, Julian said, according to the Ambassador’s report, the situation in Egypt is still safe.

A year after his election, Egyptian President Mohammad Morsi was overthrown in what his supporters called as military Coup d’état. General Abdul Fatah al-Sisi from Egypt National Army announced the overthrown of Morsi. Alongside General al-Sisi, some prominent public figures stood by to give support. They are Al-Azhar’s scholars, Coptic Church representatives, Opposition Muhamad el-Baredei, Nour Islamic Party representatives, and the leader of Tamarod Movement that organzed Tahrir demonstration.

FRANSISCO ROSARIANS