Jakarta, IO – Ukrainian Ambassador to Indonesia Vasyl Hamianin said they are mostly women, children and the elderly. “Some came to Indonesia because they have relatives here,” he said, reported CNN Indonesia, Wednesday (15/3).
Vasyl revealed that the majority of them are in Bali. However, he said their status are not of refugee. They came using various types of visas, but mostly using tourist visas.
Previously, Vasyl asked the Indonesian government and people to be compassionate toward Ukrainian citizens who fled the war. He said this in response to a suggestion by Bali Governor I Wayan Koster to revoke the Visa on Arrival (VOA) for Ukrainians.
“It is a humane act to allow people fleeing war to live temporarily in your country. Please be kind to them,” Vasyl said in a press conference conducted virtually on Tuesday (14/3).
Read: Ukraine envoy “disappointed” with Bali Governor’s idea to revoke VoA for its citizens
The Ukrainian citizens in Indonesia, he said, have lost their property, family, and even everything they owned. “The Ukrainians, they don’t want to become refugees. It’s because they are under attack every day,” said Vasyl. (rr)