November 22, 06

NEWS / Mixed-Marriage Children Receive Citizenship

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The government is giving Indonesian citizenship status to children of mixed marriages between Indonesian women and foreign men.

This new status was presented symbolically by Hamid Awaludin, Justice and Human Rights Minister, by handing over decision letters on citizenship status to 13 children of mixed marriages aged under 18 who are not married yet.

???This decision is a proof of the implementation of State Decree No. 12/2006 (on Citizenship),??? said Hamid in his speech at Mandarin Hotel, Jakarta, yesterday (21/11).

The event was organized by Mixed Marriage Family (KPC) Melati, a women??™s organization which is active in fighting for mixed-marriage children??™s citizenship.

The 13 children were Liberty Parulian Fauquex, 14 years old, Usamma Kazuhiro Kuramitsu (9), Tatjana Saphira Hartmann (9), Tobias Thariq Hartmann (8), Xavier Cornil (8), Alexia Pramesti Cornil (3), Talitha Twigley (5), Liam Ibrahim Twigley (3), Adam Brahmantio Winkel (10), Audrey Yasmina Winkel (6), Alexander Satrio Winkel (1), Zehra Gokal (13), and Mohammed Mehdi Gokal (14).

According to Hamid, under the new law, citizenship status is sufficient to be arranged by ministerial regulation.

For citizenship administration, an applicant only needs to go to an immigration office to fill in forms and submit documents including birth certificate, marriage certificate, identity card and parents??™ family card.

However, the government has not yet determined the administration cost.

The Justice and Human Rights Department is not authorized to set the cost because it is categorized as non-tax state revenue.

???We??™re still discussing the cost with the Finance Minister,??? he said, adding that applicants can deal with the cost later.

Hamid acknowledged that the citizenship process had the potential of creating mistakes in the service operation as officials must first adapt with the new system.

He asked the applicants not to blame the officials who do not yet fully understand the new system.

Anggi Holt, KPC Melati??™s Coordinator, was thankful but concerned about Hamid??™s attitude that tolerates mistakes which might be made by his subordinates.

Anggi asked Hamid to be committed to impose sanctions on officials who violated the rules.

???If someone is wrong, the person must be sanctioned,??? she said.

Riky Ferdianto

Tags: marriage, birth certificat, document, marriage certificate, birth certificate,