Indonesia Hopes Syrians Could 'Start New Life' After Regime Fall

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Deputy Foreign Minister Anis Matta ensures that Indonesia continues to closely monitor the situation in Syria and calls on relevant parties to maintain the safety and security of the Syrian people. The statement was in response to the fall of the Syrian government led by Bashar al-Assad. 

In his statement on Monday, December 9, Anis emphasized that Indonesia respects the territorial integrity of Syria and hopes that Syrian people “can start a new and better life." 

According to Anis, national political consensus, peaceful democratic transition, as well as economic reconstruction and development, are the priorities for the next phase of Syria.

Previously, on Sunday, October 8, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed that Indonesia is closely monitoring the developments of the situation in Syria and is deeply concerned about their impact on regional security and the humanitarian consequences. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the crisis in Syria can only be resolved through a comprehensive, democratic, and peaceful transition process that prioritizes the interests and safety of the Syrian people while safeguarding the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Syria.

Indonesia also calls on all parties to ensure the protection of civilians in accordance with international law, especially international humanitarian and human rights law.

The Indonesian Embassy in Damascus has taken necessary steps to ensure the safety of Indonesian citizens, including preparations for possible evacuations to safer locations if the security situation deteriorates.

The Indonesian Embassy in Damascus previously raised the highest security alert, Alert Level 1, for all regions in Syria following the escalation of warfare. Previously, Alert Level 1 was only applied to certain areas, such as Aleppo and Hama.

Following the declaration of Alert Level 1, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Indonesian Embassy in Damascus held a virtual meeting on Saturday, December 7, with Indonesian citizens in Syria to provide the latest information on the security situation and contingency measures, including evacuations.

An anti-regime armed group against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad began to enter Damascus from the south on Saturday, December 7. The city fell to opposition forces on Sunday, December 8, after Assad's forces lost control.

The battle in Damascus marks the final stage of the Syrian civil war that began in 2011. The escalation of fighting between state forces and the insurgence erupted on November 27 from the rural areas in western Aleppo in northern Syria. 

The rapid movement of opposition forces surprised the Syrian military forces, and the Assad regime lost control of one region after another in the country, starting from Idlib, Aleppo on November 30, and Hama on December 5.

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