REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The House Deputy Speaker on political affairs, Fadli Zon, has asked the government to issue a travel warning to avoid venturing into the waters prone to attacks by the Abu Sayyaf extremist group which has been taking hostages.
"The government should issue a travel warning so that Indonesian citizens do not approach waters, such as the area of the Tawitawi island in the Philippines, from where our citizens were taken hostage," Fadli Zon stated on Monday.
He said such travel warnings are normal and part of the efforts the governments make to protect their citizens.
On the occasion, Fadli Zon also referred to efforts being made to secure the release of Indonesian citizens allegedly being held hostage by the Abu Sayyaf terror group. He proposed that the Indonesian government should hold peaceful negotiations.
He said negotiations were needed since it was impossible for the Indonesian military to mobilize forces in the Philippines.
Previously, Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) Commander General Gatot Nurmantyo had informed the TNI had sent two warships to the border region with the Philippines following the hostage taking incident.
"I have prepared forces on land, on the sea and in air to take action along the border with the Philippines," he said at an event to mark the commemoration of the 64th anniversary of the army's special force, Kopassus, in Cijantung, East Jakarta, on Saturday.
He admitted he had received information that on Friday at around 18.20pm, some Indonesian citizens had been abducted in the waters along the border between Malaysia and the Philippines.
"One of them had been shot in the armpit and four others were being held hostage. Six others were safe and are now in Sabah. The one who was shot is in Malaysia. There were indications that the Abu Sayyaf group was behind it but investigations were still on," he elaborated.
He said after that incident, TNI sent two warships - KRI Badau-841 and KRI Slamet Riyaid-352 - to the border area to guard it.
"I reaffirm that TNI has prepared forces to take any firm action required, whether in the sea, on land and even in the forests. We are ready. When to act depends upon coordination with the Philippines government," he said.
General Nurmantyo said he would coordinate with the commanders of the armed forces of Malaysia and the Philippines to jointly conduct coordinated patrolling.
"Coordinated joint patrolling means we will patrol up to the outermost limit of the Exclusive Economic Zone. Beyond that, it will be the responsibility of Philippines or Malaysia, depending upon whose territory it is," he said.
However, if anything happens in Malaysian or the Philippines' areas, any force that reaches first could handle the matter, he explained.
"Certain measures will be immediately carried out. We will reach such a deal later, and it will include a clause to that effect (allowing forces to reach the location where any law and order incident happens)," he said.
General Nurmantyo said he was optimistic that if a memorandum of understanding for joint patrolling is signed, the waters along the borders of the three countries will be safe.
"I will coordinate with Malaysia and the Philippines because the area where the incident occurred was close to the border of the three countries. Right now, the Philippines personnel are conducting massive operations in the Zulu islands. Let us just wait," he said.
Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika