Indonesian in Bahrain are Still Safe

CAIRO, KOMPAS.com - Anti-government demonstrations in Manama, capital of Bahrain, are still continuing but they have not affected the Indonesians living there.

"There is no need yet to evacuate the Indonesian citizens living here because they are still safe," Indonesian ambassador to Bahrain, Agus Salim, said when contacted by ANTARA from here on Saturday.

Around 8,000 Indonesians are currently living in Bahrain including 5,623 migrant workers, 877 professionals, 19 embassy staff and their families, eight students and a number nurses working in various hospitals.

The Indonesian embassy in Manama was just established two years ago. It was inaugurated by foreign minister Marty Natalegawa on December 29, 2010 along with some other embassies in other countries such as Baku (Azerbaijan), Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Quito (Equador), Astana (Kazakhstan), Zagreb (Croatia), Muscat (Oman), Panama City (Panama), Maputo (Mozambique), consulate general in Tawau (Malaysia) and ASEAN permanent representative in Jakarta.

Agus Salim said the Manama embassy compound was not just being finished and would soon be occupied. "It has a large yard so that evacuees could be accomodate there if necessary," he said.

Demonstrators had called for the Bahraini government to resign although King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa had already offered a dialog to resolve the problems. The demonstration on Friday left five people dead and dozen others wounded following a clash with police.

It followed demonstrations in Egypt and Tunisia before that had forced their presidents to resign.