VIVAnews - The United States Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, will investigate the validity of an invitation to Liah Soetoro allegedly from President-elect Barack Obama’s campaign team to attend his inauguration in Washington, D.C. on 20 January.
According to Liah, she was Obama’s nanny when Obama was living in Indonesia with his step father, Lolo Soetoro. She became so close to the family that Lolo adopted her.
Liah said that she received a phone call on November 10 from a woman, whose name sounds like “Luth,” who claimed to be from Obama’s campaign team. She invited Liah and her husband, Ibnu Sobah, to attend Obama’s inauguration. She told Liah that it only requires one to three days to obtain a passport and a visa.
The caller said that all that the couple had to do was have their birth certificate readied. For that, they were sent Rp 600,000 (less than US$55.00) through a courier. However, according to Liah, the money was not enough. “Well it wasn’t a significant amount of money, only six hundred [thousand rupiahs], to prepare the birth certificate. The total cost was 640 thousand,” said the 47-year-old woman to VIVAnews at one of her children’s house in Tebet, South Jakarta, Saturday, Jan. 10.
They are supposed to arrive five days before the inauguration. "We were told that we have to be there five days before the inauguration,” said Ibnu. “The birth certificates are ready. And now we’re just waiting to be contacted again,” added Liah.
Liah and Ibnu were only asked to prepare their birth certificates. ‘Luth’ promised them that someone will take care of the rest, including passports, visas and airline tickets.
In fact they were also promised free accommodation. “The person who called me said, ‘All you have to do is choose where you would like to stay, at my house or at a hotel. Wherever you wish, I will pay for everything,’” said Liah, quoting from her conversation with 'Luth' who claimed to be from Obama’s campaign team.
Unfortunately, up to this day, Liah has yet to receive further news regarding their departure to Washington, D.C. to attend her adopted brother's inauguration. “We haven’t received any more news. So we decided to go back to Sukabumi,” said Liah when contacted by VIVAnews, Monday, Jan 12.
They had come to Jakarta from Sukabumi, West Java, about three hours away from the capital city, two weeks ago. However, until now, they still do not have passporst, visas, or even an airline ticket. Meanwhile, there are only eight days to go before Obama would be officially inaugurated as United States’ 44th President.
They had tried contacting a woman whom according to ‘Luth’ will make the necessary arrangements in Indonesia, but to no avail “The number was unreachable. Supposedly the person lives in Kebon Jeruk. Ms. Luth said I can’t go public with this,” said Liah.
Liah was told that the contact person who lives in Kebon Jeruk is from the United States Embassy. She and her husband are waiting to hear from her. “I will wait in Sukabumi until [she] contacts me, and then I will go back to Jakarta,” said Liah.
Unfortunately Liah and Ibnu do not know where else to go or who else they should try to contact to confirm their departure to Washington, D.C. “I don’t know who to contact. We can’t even contact the US Embassy because she ['Luth'] forbade us,” said Ibnu.
When contacted by VIVAnews, Tristram Perry, Press Attaché of the United States Embassy in Jakarta, said that the Embassy was not informed and is unaware of such invitation, but will look into the matter. “The [United States] Embassy is not involved in this matter, but it will be investigated,” said Perry, Jan. 12.
With regard to the promise made to have their visas prepared by a third party, Perry said that this is not possible. “There is no other choice [for the applicant] but to go to the US Embassy in Jakarta to apply for a visa,” he said.
In fact, according to the Embassy’s website, all visa applicants, with the exception those under the age of 14 or over the age of 80, must personally go to the US Embassy to be interviewed.
In additon, according to Perry, the process of applying for a visa to go to the United States takes time, depending on the type of visa, not just one or two days.
Despite not receiving any news about their departure to the United States, Liah and Ibnuare not disappointed and still hope that “Luth,” who claimed to be from Obama’s campaign team, would contact them again. “We are not disappointed yet. We still have hopes because there are still several days to go. [‘Luth’] told us that it will take between one to three days for them to prepare our passports and visas. The most important thing is that we already have our birth certificates at hand,” said Liah.
Liah and Ibnu have made preparations to go, including packing warm clothing, medicines, and even a souvenir for Obama. “If we do receive a call, well of course we will go there. But if not, then that’s okay. Maybe they’re busy over there,” said Ibnu. “Well if I don’t get to go there, maybe later when he comes to Indonesia, he could perhaps drop by Sukabumi,” said Liah, trying to be positive.
If she does get to meet Obama, more familiary known as Barry while in Indonesia, Liah wishes to ask him if he still remembers her, his former nanny and adopted sister. “I am going to ask, ‘Barry, do you still remember me?’ If he does, thank God. If not, well maybe he would be embarrassed because I am nobody,” said Liah. “But he wasn’t the type to be choosy, but well, I don’t know about now," she added.
"And then I would also like to say to him ‘Barry, your dream to become President finally came true,'" said Liah Soetoro.
