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Indonesian mission prioritizes citizen safety as France extends COVID-19 lockdown
The nationwide lockdown, which has been in place to limit people's mobility since last month, has been extended until May 11 as France wish to maintain all progress it has made in slowing down the virus spread.
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A man sits with his dog in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris on April 5, the 20th day of a lockdown in France aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19. (AFP/Philippe Lopez)
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itizen protection is now the main focus of the Indonesian Embassy in Paris as the French government extended its confinement rules until next month to slow the spread of COVID-19.
The nationwide lockdown to limit people's mobility, in place since last month, has been extended until May 11 as France looks to build on the progress it has made in slowing down the virus spread.
Indonesian Ambassador to France Arrmanatha Nasir said on Tuesday that protecting Indonesian citizens had been the main focus of the mission since the early outbreak of COVID-19 in the country.
He said the Indonesian Embassy in Paris continued to operate even when other foreign missions had shut their offices, as it wanted to ensure that Indonesians in France get all the assistance they needed.
“As per the direction from the Indonesian Foreign Minister [Retno LP Marsudi], protecting citizens amid the COVID-19 pandemic and France’s confinement policy have been the main focus of Indonesian diplomats in Paris,” Arrmanatha said in a statement on Tuesday.
The embassy has been intensifying its coordination and communication with the Indonesian diaspora through multiple channels, such as Indonesian communities and the Indonesian Students Association (PPI) in France.
Arrmanatha said he had been leading the coordination every day through various mechanisms, aside from providing updates about COVID-19.
“The embassy’s hotline, website and social media are being fully utilized. We have also intensified our communication by using video conference platforms to monitor their condition and accommodate their needs,” Arrmanatha said.
The embassy — collaborating with the PPI — has delivered personal protective equipment to those in need amid a scarcity of such equipment in Paris. It has also tried to obtain supplies of such equipment from outside France.
The envoys also intensified their coordination with other groups of Indonesians, especially the elderly and other vulnerable citizens.
So far, the embassy had helped 151 Indonesian crewmen get home after the cruise ships they had been working on stopped operations in France, the statement said.
As of Tuesday, France has reported 137,877 cases of coronavirus with 14,967 deaths, according to data compiled by John Hopkins University.
The Indonesian embassy said France's containment rules had improved the situation. Although the tally of confirmed cases was still increasing, the growth rate had slowed down.
Indonesia has reported no deaths of citizens in France. According to the embassy, Indonesians who have tested positive in France are currently in good condition, and some are starting self-quarantine and individual treatment.
At least 373 Indonesians have tested positive abroad, with 15 cases ending in death, according to Foreign Ministry data from Tuesday.
