Ministry Coordinates With Philippine Authorities To Repatriate Indonesian Hajj Pilgrims

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - The Indonesian Foreign Ministry has coordinated with the Philippine Department of Justice to complete the repatriation of 106 Indonesian Hajj pilgrims who travelled to Saudi Arabia by using spaces set aside for the Philippines' quota.

"This morning, I communicated with the Indonesian Embassy regarding the repatriation of Indonesian Hajj pilgrims," Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi said here on Wednesday.

The minister remarked that the government is in the process of returning home 106 Indonesian Hajj pilgrims.

"There are 106 pilgrims in the Indonesian Embassy in Manila waiting for the final processing phase," the minister said.

 The minister stated that the process of bringing home Indonesian Hajj pilgrims will be completed on October 10, 2016.

The Philippine government earlier mentioned that there are some 700 Indonesian nationals who illegally departed for the Hajj pilgrimage without carrying with them their assigned Filipino passports.

Minister Marsudi noted that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recorded that 106 Indonesians have completed their pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, but were unable to return to Indonesia, as they had to go through an investigation processes in the Philippines.

"The Filipino authorities originally estimated that there were about 700 people, but we do not really have the exact number, so at the moment the Indonesian Embassy in Manila is taking care of 106 people," she added.

As for the case of 177 pilgrims who were arrested in the Philippines, the Minister said that the process for returning them has been completed.

"Two of them arrived in Jakarta this morning. I have reported to the President that the process for 177 pilgrims in the Philippines is complete," she remarked.

Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, Communications and Information Minister Rudiantara, and National Development Planning Board (Bappenas) head Bambang P. S. Brodjonegoro, attended the ministerial coordination meeting at the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs. (WDY)