"The military, the TNI, will be involved. Not only TNI but all elements will be involved so that air evacuation could be carried out," Presiden Yudhoyono said.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia plans to evacuate its citizens living in Egypt following recent turmoil in that country.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono meanwhile said on Monday that the evacuation process of the citizens in Egypt would involve military elements to assure security and smoothness of the operation.
"The military, the TNI, will be involved. Not only TNI but all elements will be involved so that air evacuation could be carried out," he said at his office.
President Yudhoyono give the directives after leading a limited meeting on the handling of citizens in Egypt. When given the explanation President Yudhoyono was flanked by several ministers including defense minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro and TNI commander Admiral Agus Suhartono.
President Yudhoyono said a special task force had been set up to implement the evacuation, led by a member of the president`s advisory council, Hasan Wirajuda, who is also former foreign minister and ambassador to Egypt.
The military elements to be involved in the operation are led by vice airforce chief of staff vice marshal Sukirno who is also the vice chief of the task force.
President Yudhoyono said the evacuation would be carried out using commercial and other planes possible for use for it. The planes will depart from the country. "If necessary they will start leaving to Cairo tonight," he said.
President Yudhoyono said the planes would carry the logistics to be needed by the Indonesian citizens. The distribution of the logistics and evacuation would be done in cooperation with the local government.
Foreign minister Marty Natalegawa meanwhile said one plane had been ready to leave take home citizens in Egypt. He said the government still had yet to cooperate with the Egyptian government with regard to landing permit for the plane.
Marty said the government had decided to evacuate the citizens in view of the latest situation in Egypt which is getting dangerous.
He said the security authority in Egypt was now held by the soldiers and not the police.
He said the police station near the Indonesian embassy in Cairo had even been destroyed.
According to latest dat some 6,149 Indonesias are now in Egypt including 4,297 students, 1,002 workers and embassy staff and their family members. They have set up 20 communications command posts.
(T.F008/Uu.H-YH/HAJM/P003)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
