In my opinion, the immigration is only doing its job
Jakarta (ANTARA) - House of Representatives (DPR) Commission III Vice Chief Ahmad Sahroni, in connection with the incident involving an immigration officer and Nigerian diplomat, clarified that the on-duty officer was merely following standard operating procedure (SOP).

"In my opinion, the immigration is only doing its job. (They) received a report from citizens and were then responding to it," Sahroni stated here on Thursday in connection with the harassment incident reported here on Saturday (August 7, 2021).

He believed that the immigration officer acted in accordance with the SOP, as he would not abruptly commit any act of harassment targeting a foreign citizen without any cause.

Sahroni explained that according to the report he received, the officers had asked the diplomat to show his work documents, but he was uncooperative and got into a fight with them instead.

"If he had only just showed them (the work documents), then it would all be over. However, the diplomat was being uncooperative and fought back to the point wherein an immigration officer got injured. It is a shame," he affirmed.

Sahroni asserted that Indonesia is a lawful nation and strongly avoids the use of violence, especially towards diplomatic officers on official duty from another country.

He believed that the immigration understands well how the SOP worked when it comes to diplomats from another country.

On the other hand, he opined that the diplomat must have been aware that the rule of diplomacy did not include assaulting an officer on duty or provoking a commotion.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry’s spokesperson had earlier stated that the ministry expressed regret over the harassment incident involving the Nigerian diplomat.

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Translator: Imam Budilaksono, Fadhli R
Editor: Sri Haryati
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