Indonesian Workers Trapped at Tunisian Presidential Palace Evacuated

CAIRO, KOMPAS.com - The Indonesian embassy in Tunis on Tuesday evacuated two Indonesian migrant workers employed as housemaids at the Tunisian Presidential Palace.

"Thank God, the two remaining migrant workers at the Presidential Palace had been evacuated to the Indonesian embassy in a healthy condition," Indonesian Ambassador to Tunisia Muhammad Ibnu said here Tuesday.

The two migrant workers, 23, who have worked at the presidential palace for the last two years, came from Indramayu, West Java. Ambassador Ibnu said there were five Indonesian housemaids working at the presidential palace, three had already been evacuated last Friday, but it was rather difficult to evacuate the two others because of the very tight security at the palace.

They were trapped in the palace since their employer, toppled Tunisian President Zine Al Abididn Ben Ali, had left the country last Friday to seek refugee in Saudi Arabia after public protest against theit government reached a peak.

Besides at the Presidential Palace, scores of other Indonesian domestic helpers were also employed at rich local government officials, he said. Ambassador Ibnu said the situation in Tunisia is now back to normal and the people are doing their usual daily activities.

"In the meantime, the provisional government is already in place, and government offices, stores and the markets, had resumed their normal daily activities," he said.

The state of emergency in the country had been gradually relaxed, and the curfew had also been shortened from 5 PM - 7 AM to 6 PM - 6 AM, he said. In the meantime, the 120 Indonesian nationals there had already been given accommodation at the Indonesian embassy and at Wisma Duta in Tunis.

Earlier, the transitional government by way of the Tunisian foreign ministry had secured the safety of the Indonesians. The security guarantee had been expressed when Ambassador Ibnu on Monday met Director General for Asian Affairs at the Tunisian foreign ministry Kasry.

In the meeting Ambassador Ibnu expressed his sympathy and hoped from the Indonesian government and people for an early restoration of peace and calm in Tunisia. The Tunisian foreign office expressed highest appreciation for the national concern and sympathy, he said.