INDONESIA AWAITS SAUDI TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY OF EMBASSY'S DESTRUCTION by Fardah

 Jakarta, April 23 (Antara) - Indonesia, a country not involved in the war in Yemen, expressed shock and strongly condemned the Saudi-led coalition's air strikes on April 20, 2015, in which its embassy in Sana'a, Yemen, was almost completely destroyed. 
   The bomb explosion left two Indonesian diplomats and one citizen injured, and over 80 percent of the embassy building was seriously damaged, besides destroying the embassy's vehicles that were parked at the spot.

        As per media reports, the total number of civilians killed in the Saudi-led air strikes on a missile depot in the Yemeni capital reached 38 and an additional 532 civilians were wounded, revealed the medics.

        "I wish to express that Indonesia strongly condemns the bomb attack that occurred in Sana'a at 10:45 a.m. local time," Foreign Affairs Minister Retno L.P. Marsudi informed the press at the Jakarta Convention Center on April 20.

         The Indonesian Government has reiterated on several occasions that a peaceful solution through diplomacy and negotiation is the best way to settle issues.   
    The bombing, which also destroyed Indonesia's embassy, has proven that resolving issues through violence only leads to the killing of innocent citizens, the minister stated.

        On April 21, Minister Marsudi summoned Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Indonesia Syeikh Mustafa Ibrahim Al-Mubarrak over the bombing.

         "I sought an explanation over what happened in the embassy on April 20 because on March 26, Indonesia had provided details of the coordinates of our premises in Sana'a," she said.    
   The minister also sought an explanation from the Saudi Arabian ambassador on the actions his government would take regarding the damaged property belonging to the Indonesian embassy.

        "He promised that he will convey my concerns to the Saudi Arabian government in Riyadh," she revealed.

        She expressed deep regret over the bombing and asserted that in accordance with the international regulations, properties belonging to a diplomatic mission in a country involved in a conflict must be protected.

        Indonesia also called for a humanitarian pause to facilitate the safe repatriation of civilians from Yemen and the entry of humanitarian assistance.

        Some 17 members of the Indonesian embassy's staff in Sana'a, evacuation team members from Jakarta, and some other Indonesian citizens, have so far been evacuated to the Indonesian ambassador's residence.

        Since February 2015, the Indonesian Government has conducted the repatriation of Indonesian citizens from Yemen.

        At least 1,981 Indonesian nationals have so far been repatriated to Jakarta from war-torn Yemen. 
  Before the war, some 4,159 Indonesian citizens lived in Yemen, of which 2,626 were students, 1,488 were professional workers in oil and gas companies, and 45 were embassy staff and their families.

       The World Health Organization revealed on April 21, 2015, that 944 people were reported killed and 3,487 wounded in Yemen in the four weeks up to April 17, 2015, according to Reuters.

        Rana Sidani, a WHO representative, stated that the toll only included data reported to the Ministry of Health by hospitals, and the actual number of casualties was likely much higher.

        Indonesian Vice President Jusuf M. Kalla also expressed concern over the bomb explosion in Sana'a.

        "Of course, we are highly concerned and regret (the damage caused to the embassy). It is the consequence of a bomb explosion, not every smart bomb has eyes," Kalla stated on April 21, 2015.

         He was certain that the embassy was not the target of the bomb attack, but it was seriously damaged due to the impact of the explosion.

        The Indonesian government will continue evacuating its nationals from Yemen, Kalla noted.

        Hasibullah Satrawi, an expert of Middle Eastern and Islamic issues, urged the Indonesian government to call ambassadors of the Saudi-led coalition to claim responsibility for the damage caused to the Indonesian embassy in Sana'a.

        "The government should take a firm stance. Ambassadors, embassies, and diplomats are the symbols of our sovereignty overseas. Indonesia is not involved in the war in Yemen, and it becomes a victim," Satrawi remarked. 
   Issuing a condemnation is not enough, he noted, lauding Foreign Affairs Minister Marsudi's statement saying that a violation was not a solution to this conflict.

        "A stronger statement should be issued to protect our interests in Yemen. Moreover, we are hosting the commemoration of the Asian-African Conference (AAC). Indonesia should be able to uphold its sovereignty and demonstrate that we are a country that should be recounted," he emphasized.

        Meanwhile, Jawahir Thontowi, an international law expert of the Yogyakarta Islamic University of Indonesia, called on leaders attending the AAC's 60th Commemoration to push war-torn Middle Eastern countries such as Yemen, Iraq, and Syria to impose a ceasefire.

        The Middle East conflicts must become the main topic of discussion during the conference, besides other issues such as the Palestinian occupation, peaceful relations between Asian and African continents, and an independent economy, he remarked.

        "Why it is so important is because countries such as Yemen, Iraq, and Syria had contributed to the declaration process of the (first) AAC," he remarked. 
    Indonesia, as the AAC host, has a strategic position to call on AAC's participating nations to demand the UN Security Council to push for a ceasefire in those conflict-ridden countries, he added. 
    In the meantime, Saudi Arabia announced on April 21 that it was ending a month-long campaign of air strikes against the Houthi rebels who seized large areas of Yemen and said it would back a political solution to bring peace to its war-ravaged neighbor, Reuters reported.   
   "Operation Decisive Storm has achieved its goals (including) removing the threat to Saudi Arabia and the neighboring countries, especially in terms of heavy weapons," according to a statement carried by the Saudi state news agency SPA.

        Iran, which has supported the fellow Shi'ite Houthis, welcomed the ceasefire, which followed months of factional fighting between the militant group and forces loyal to the government, which was driven out of the capital Sanaa.

         Reuters quoted the statement as saying that a new phase called "Operation Restoring Hope" was beginning. It would combine political, diplomatic, and military action but would focus on "the political process that will lead to a stable and secure future for Yemen."
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(T.F001/A/BESSR/A. Abdussalam) 23-04-2015 18:06:08