Lawmaker Pushes Repatriation Plan for Stranded Umrah Pilgrims

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - More than 58,000 Indonesian Umrah pilgrims in Saudi Arabia have been unable to return home as scheduled due to international flight disruptions caused by the escalating conflict between Iran and the United States–Israel alliance.

A lawmaker of Commission VIII of the House of Representatives (DPR), Selly Andriany Gantina, said the state has a constitutional obligation to ensure comprehensive protection for citizens abroad, covering not only administrative matters but also safety, service certainty, and repatriation arrangements.

“The principle of state protection for citizens abroad is a constitutional mandate that must not be compromised under any circumstances,” Selly said in a statement to Parlementaria in Jakarta on Sunday, March 1, 2026, as quoted on the DPR’s official website.

The flight disruptions have left thousands of Indonesians facing uncertainty over travel arrangements, security, and services.

Selly said an official advisory issued by the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh stated that the government continues to closely monitor developments and take anticipatory measures to ensure the safety of all Indonesian citizens, including Umrah pilgrims.

She described the advisory as an important initial step but said it must be followed by concrete, systematic measures to ensure certainty about the pilgrims’ return.

“The state’s presence cannot stop at administrative advisories. The state must ensure a clear, measurable, and time-bound repatriation scheme. Pilgrims must not be left in uncertainty due to global dynamics beyond their control,” the PDI-P lawmaker said.

She added that the situation should serve as momentum for a comprehensive evaluation of crisis mitigation systems in the organization of Umrah pilgrimages.

Selly highlighted three strategic aspects that need strengthening. First, the government must reinforce the pilgrim protection system as part of broader citizen protection, including structured crisis protocols, alternative repatriation schemes, logistical support, and service guarantees during emergencies.

Second, Umrah travel organizers must strengthen their accountability and crisis-management preparedness to ensure thatpilgrims do not bear the burden of global risks.

Third, the government must enhance coordination across ministries and overseas representatives to ensure a swift, coordinated response focused on citizens’ safety.

“The organization of Umrah pilgrimages cannot be separated from global geopolitical dynamics. The state must have a strong and adaptive protection system capable of providing certainty for citizens in times of crisis,” she said.

Selly also called on the government to provide transparent and regular updates to the public and pilgrims’ families to prevent prolonged anxiety.

“The state must not be absent when its people are in a vulnerable situation. The safety of citizens is the highest law, and the state is obliged to ensure that every pilgrim can return home safely and with dignity,” she said.

Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak said the government is closely monitoring the increasingly dynamic and uncertain security situation in the Middle East.

Taking into account the safety and protection of pilgrims, the government has urged Umrah pilgrims scheduled to depart in the near future to postpone their trips until conditions improve.

“Considering the uncertain situation in the Middle East and the escalating tensions, we urge Umrah pilgrims who are scheduled to depart in the near future to postpone their departure,” Dahnil said in Jakarta on Sunday, March 1, 2026, as quoted on the Ministry's official website.

The government also called on Indonesian pilgrims currently in Saudi Arabia and their families at home to remain calm and avoid panic. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, in coordination with the Foreign Ministry, continues to work with Saudi authorities, airlines, and Umrah travel organizers (PPIU) to ensure that pilgrims facing delayed returns are properly assisted. ***