In all fairness, there is hardly any merit to commenting on one country’s ability to facilitate an exit from another country when millions of people are still trapped in the violent conflict, with little choice but to endure the extremities of war.

Our thoughts and prayers go to the people who have to wake up every day to the sights of a war-torn country and to those whose lives and homes have been lost. We hope that the two generals who instigated this civil war will soon stop all this mindless violence.

Coming back to the topic of rescue, the success of the secret extraction operation is a testament to the resilience and resourcefulness of the Indonesian authorities.

On Friday, Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi reported to the press that a total of 955 citizens had been evacuated from Sudan through four escape corridors. Of this figure, 934 people have been airlifted home to Indonesia.

 

“Just as a number of countries were still trying to figure out how to extract their citizens from Sudan, alhamdulillah [thank God], we have been able to evacuate most of our people,” she said.

Sixty-four Indonesians still remain in Sudan, including 13 who make up the skeleton team of the Indonesian Embassy in Khartoum. Most of the people from this group have willingly stayed behind for their families.

Retno also revealed that the extraction was carefully planned and that everything was done silently and swiftly. The rationale behind this, she said, was to ensure the safety and security of the citizens throughout the entirety of a repatriation process.

What matters in the end is that the government was able to extract its citizens and bring them home safely.

The challenges of repatriating people from war zones are significant and well-documented. Countries such as Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine have all faced similar situations, and the lessons learned from these experiences have helped to inform Indonesia’s repatriation efforts in Sudan.

The strength of such rescue operations has hinged on the close coordination of state agencies and among Indonesia’s many overseas missions, especially those operating in and around the nation in conflict.

While it may be common for nations to take a similar approach in most extraordinary situations, there is rarely any other time when Indonesia’s gotong royong (communal effort) culture shines so brightly.

Through a combination of careful planning, unwavering commitment and close cooperation with local and foreign organizations and officials, Indonesia was able to safely and effectively extract its citizens from Sudan.

These aspects were all lessons learned from previous attempts to evacuate citizens from conflict or disaster.

From the evacuation of citizens from Ukraine, for instance, which was carried out in the aftermath of the Russian invasion in February 2022, many bore witness to the story of the late Indonesian ambassador Ghafur Dharmaputra, who selflessly traveled overland to accompany evacuating citizens for days at a time, despite being terminally ill.

In the 2017 extraction of Indonesian nationals from Islamic State-ruled Syria, Jakarta tapped into its vast network of partnerships to ensure safe passage for its citizens out of a country that had been carved out and ruled by opposing factions. The same strategy was used again in Sudan to get our citizens quickly out of harm’s way.

We applaud the Indonesian authorities for their tireless efforts in ensuring the safety of citizens abroad and bringing them home. This commitment to protecting our citizens is a model for other countries to follow.

We encourage other governments to prioritize the safety and well-being of their citizens abroad and to work together to provide support and assistance in times of crisis.