Protection of Citizens in Armed Conflict Zones
An Analysis of State Obligations and the Diplomacy of Evacuating Indonesian Citizens from Lebanon in 2024
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31941/pj.v25i2.8345Keywords:
Armed Conflict; Consular Protection; Diplomatic Coordination; Evacuation; Protection Of Citizens; Indonesian Citizen.Abstract
This research employs a normative juridical method using statutory, conceptual, and case approaches. Data were collected through the examination of relevant national legislation, international legal instruments, scholarly literature, and official documents issued by the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The findings indicate that Indonesia's legal framework for protecting citizens abroad is established, among others, through Law No. 37 of 1999 on Foreign Relations and Minister of Foreign Affairs Regulation No. 5 of 2018 on the Protection of Indonesian Citizens Abroad. These regulations provide for preventive measures, early detection, rapid response, contingency planning, and emergency evacuation. In practice, the Indonesian government undertook a series of evacuation operations from Lebanon through coordination among the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and several Indonesian diplomatic missions in the region. The operations were conducted in seven phases between August and November 2024, involving land and air transportation, followed by administrative assistance, health checks, and facilitation of onward travel upon arrival in Indonesia. However, the available official report contains inconsistent figures regarding the number of Indonesian citizens evacuated and does not provide sufficient information to verify the implementation of all regulatory requirements, particularly concerning formal emergency-status decisions, contingency planning, and citizen mapping. This study concludes that Indonesia demonstrated concrete efforts to protect its citizens through evacuation and diplomatic coordination. Nevertheless, a comprehensive assessment of legal compliance requires more transparent and detailed documentation. Strengthening citizen data management, contingency planning, crisis communication, and post-evacuation accountability is therefore essential to ensure more systematic and sustainable protection for Indonesian citizens in armed conflict zones.
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