Indonesia Repatriates 335 Citizens from Sri Lanka, Maldives
Repatriation of Indonesian citizens from Colombo, Friday (24/4). (Photo by: Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
In a bid to slow down the spread of COVID-19, the Indonesian Government on Friday (24/4) repatriated 335 Indonesian migrant workers from Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
A total of 42 Indonesian migrant workers on board Garuda Indonesia aircraft departed from Sri Lankan capital Colombo at 19.30 Western Indonesian Time to pick up 293 Indonesian migrant workers in Male Airport in the Maldives.
The migrant workers were scheduled to arrive on Friday (24/4) at 10.10 Eastern Indonesian Time in Denpasar, Bali Province.
The Government said it was necessary to repatriate those Indonesian migrant workers after companies and resorts in Sri Lanka and the Maldives ceased to operate their businesses. Therefore, the Indonesian Embassy in Colombo considered the repatriation option due to the companies and resorts’ cash flow that are still stable to provide financial assistance for the migrant workers to return home.
As many as 80 percent of the migrant workers came from Bali Province, while others came from various regions, including Surabaya in East Java Province, Makassar in South Sulawesi Province, and Lombok Island in West Nusa Tenggara Province.
The Indonesian Embassy in Colombo is also scheduled to repatriate hundreds of Indonesian migrant workers from the country by the end of April.
The Government also stated it will continue to coordinate with several companies and resorts in the Maldives to ensure the smooth repatriation process so that the rest of Indonesian migrant workers can return to Indonesia immediately.
In the meantime, Maldives immigration recorded that there are 3,151 Indonesian citizens living in the Maldives, with most of whom working in tourism, construction, and hospitality sectors as well as restaurant.
In the meantime, 426 Indonesian citizens are recorded to currently reside in Sri Lanka. (The Indonesian Embassy in Colombo / EN)
Translated by: Syarifah Aisyah
Reviewed by: M. Ersan Pamungkas
