London (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian embassy in Tunis has repatriated 14 Indonesians from Libya including migrant workers, students, and ordinary residents as well as embassy staff members in Tripoli since March 2011.

Indonesian ambassador to Tunisia Muhammad Ibnu Said handed over the papers and documents of the 14 Indonesians to the head of the group Untung, embassy staff member in Tripoli, before their departure at Wisma Duta, Les Berges du Lac in Tunis, according to press release received by the ANTARA News correspondent in London on Thursday.

Sugianto, a student who joined the group expressed appreciation to the Indonesian government especially the foreign ministry, the Indonesian embassies Tripoli and Tunis for their attention and protection during the evacuation from Libya and for the living quarters in Tunis.

Speaking on behalf of the Indonesians being evacuated, Sugianto as students and the last to leave Libya, asked for an apology for troubling the Indonesian embassies in Tripoli and Tunis for refusing to be evacuated several times.

After the situation in Tripoli had worsened, Sugianto and his friend Eling Fanny Ardhiyanto eventually agreed to join the evacuation group from the Indonesian embassy in Tripoli.

Ambassador Ibnu Said said protection of Indonesians abroad was the responsibility of the Indonesian representative office. For that the Indonesian embassy in Tunis continued to evacuate the Indonesians in Libya especially after the situation in Libya worsened.

The 123 Indonesian students in had already been evacuated to Tunisia.

Ambassador Ibnu also make it clear that the Indonesian government`s commitment in this case the embassy in Tunis to help each Indonesian facing difficulties abroad, although non-formal workers often failed to report their arrival there to the Indonesian representative office.

On behalf the Indonesian government, he said goodbye to the Indonesians hoping they would arrive home and reunite with their families and relatives.

The number of Indonesians from Libya who had been evacuated to Tunisia reached 570, including 562 to have been repatriated to Indonesia, and the rest later.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2011