Jakarta, IO – As many as 56 undocumented Indonesian citizens were repatriated by the Indonesian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, Sun (19/11). The repatriation is a collaboration between the Indonesian Foreign Ministry (Kemlu) and the UAE Immigration Authority.
They consisted of 31 children under five and 25 mothers. This was the second phase of repatriation after 101 undocumented Indonesian citizens were also repatriated on November 12, per Liputan6, Mon (20/11).
Indonesian envoy to UAE Husin Bagis expressed his gratitude for the cooperation. “Since the beginning of the repatriation process, the Indonesian Embassy in Abu Dhabi has received full support from the Indonesian government,” said Husin.
He explained that during the repatriation process, Indonesian citizens also underwent a DNA test to prove that the children are their biological offsprings. Husin explained that this was necessary because their marriage was not officially registered in the population administration system in the UAE nor Indonesia.
Read: Train Crashes Into Minibus In Lumajang, Killing 11
Upon their arrival in Jakarta, they will be referred to Kemlu’s Citizen Protection Directorate, the Indonesian Migrant Worker Protection Agency (BP2MI) and relevant agencies before being transported back to their respective hometown. (un)