UK TRAVEL WARNING: IndonesiaPUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT3 April 2006 Indonesia
SUMMARY| Terrorist bombings in Bali targeted popular tourist areas. |
We advise against all travel to Aceh, except for those involved in post-tsunami humanitarian and reconstruction work or in the Aceh Monitoring Mission. Aceh remains affected by long-running internal conflict. You should exercise caution when travelling to remote areas.- We advise against all travel to Maluku Province, especially Ambon which is experiencing civil unrest. We also advise against all travel to Central Sulawesi Province.
- There remains a high threat from terrorism in Indonesia. We continue to receive reports that terrorists in Indonesia are planning further attacks on Westerners and Western interests. Foreigners and locations and buildings frequented by foreigners are particularly attractive potential targets to terrorists. If you are visiting, or are resident in Indonesia you should exercise caution at all times. We strongly advise you to ensure that you are comfortable with, and regularly review your own and your family's security arrangements.
- Messages encouraging attacks against western targets in Indonesia, including but not limited to foreign Embassies in Jakarta have appeared on extremist websites.
- Terrorists have shown in previous attacks, like the attacks in Bali in October 2005 and October 2002, and those in Jakarta on the Australian Embassy in September 2004 and the Marriott Hotel in August 2003, that they have the means and the motivation to carry out successful attacks.
- Outbreaks of Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) in Indonesia have resulted in a number of human fatalities. As a precaution, you should avoid live animal markets, poultry farms and other places where you may come into close contact with domestic, caged or wild birds; and ensure poultry and egg dishes are thoroughly cooked. For further information see Health section below and also read the FCO's Avian and Pandemic Influenza Factsheet.
- Penalties for illegal drug importation and use are severe and can include the death penalty.
- The main types of incident for which British nationals require consular assistance in Indonesia are: theft/ loss of passport and belongings; overstaying visas; drug possession; and deaths, mostly from natural causes, watersports and road accidents. The majority of consular cases occur in Jakarta and Bali.
- We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake. Please see: Travel Insurance.
SAFETY AND SECURITYTerrorism There remains a high threat from terrorism in Indonesia. We continue to receive reports that terrorists in Indonesia are planning further attacks on Westerners and Western interests. Terrorists have shown that they have the means and motivation to carry out successful attacks. The attacks by three suicide bombers on 1 October 2005, in central Kuta and Jimbaran beach in Bali, which killed 20 people and injured a further 90, underscore the ongoing terrorist threat in Indonesia. The extremist group JemaahIslamiyah (JI), which has links to Al-Qaida is thought to have been responsible for this attack, as well as the Bali bombings in October 2002, which killed 202 people, the Marriott Hotel bombing in Jakarta which killed 12 people in August 2003, and the Australian Embassy bombing in September 2004, which killed 11 people. The arrests and trials of terrorists in Indonesia, for example the trials of the 2002 Bali Bombers, could prompt strong reactions from their supporters, including acts of violence. Attacks could occur at any time, anywhere in Indonesia, but foreigners and locations and buildings frequented by foreigners are particularly attractive potential targets to terrorists. Messages encouraging attacks against western targets in Indonesia, including but not limited to foreign Embassies in Jakarta have appeared on extremist websites. If you are visiting, or resident in Indonesia, you should exercise caution at all times. We strongly advise you to ensure that you are comfortable with, and regularly review, you and your family's security arrangements. If you are planning to travel overland or by boat to Malaysia or the Philippines, you should be aware that Abu Sayaf, a Philippines based terrorist group also pose a risk and plan to kidnap foreign tourists from the islands and coastal areas of Malaysia and the Philippines, especially Eastern Sabah. Please see the FCO Travel Advice for Philippines and Malaysia. Please read Security and General Tips and Risk of Terrorism when Travelling Overseas pages for further information and advice. Crime You should beware of street crime and pickpockets. Take personal security measures such as: - Taking particular care to safeguard your passport and credit/ATM cards. We receive regular reports of credit card theft after shop employees copied card details You are advised not to lose sight of your credit card during transactions;
- Beware of thieves while travelling on public transport. We receive regular reports of extortionate fares or robberies by unlicensed airport taxi drivers. Their vehicles are usually in poor condition, are unmetered, and do not have a dashboard identity licence. When taking a taxi, use one from a reputable firm, preferably booked by phone or arranged by your hotel, or booked by a registered taxi firm inside the airport.
- For longer journeys it is a sensible precaution to notify friends of travel plans, contact them on arrival and where possible travel in convoy.
- We receive occasional reports of tourists who have been robbed after bringing visitors to their hotel rooms. In some cases their drinks were drugged. Ensure your passport and wallet and other valuables are secure at all times.
Political Situation Demonstrations are part of the Indonesian political culture, and are usually peaceful, but there is always the potential for violence and traffic disruptions. You should avoid large crowds and public gatherings. On 16 March 2006 a demonstration at the University of Cendrawasih in Abepura, near the Papuan provincial capital Jayapura, resulted in violent clashes. Three police officers and one member of the armed forces were killed. In February 2006, demonstrations against some western countries took place in several parts of Indonesia following the publication of caricatures of key figures of the Islamic faith. Further such demonstrations are possible. The arrests and trials of terrorists in Indonesia, for example the trials of the 2002 Bali Bombers, have also prompted demonstrations. You should be aware of offending Muslim sensitivities. Westerners have occasionally been harassed by fundamentalists in bars and nightclubs, particularly around major Islamic holidays. Local Travel Our additional advice for British nationals in Indonesia who are travelling outside Jakarta is as follows: Aceh We advise against all travel to Aceh, except for those involved in post-tsunami humanitarian and reconstruction work or in the Aceh Monitoring Mission. Aceh remains affected by a long running internal conflict. A peace agreement (Memorandum of Understanding - MoU) was signed on 15 August 2005. Substantial progress has been made in implementation of the agreement, in particular with the withdrawal of troops from the region by the Government of Indonesia and the announcement by GAM (the Free Aceh Movement) of the disbandment of its military wing. Nonetheless, pending full implementation of the agreement, there remains a risk of sporadic violence and armed clashes. Those involved in the Aceh Monitoring Mission should follow the rules and regulations laid out by the Head of Mission. The coastal areas of the province of Aceh and some parts of North Sumatra suffered widespread casualties and damage in the tsunami on 26 December 2004. While reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts are underway, communications infrastructure, roads, medical care and tourist facilities on the western and northern coasts of Sumatra, and on coastal islands off Sumatra, were seriously damaged and have not yet been fully restored. Infrastructure on the island of Nias was seriously damaged in an earthquake on March 28, 2005. Adequate accommodation/lodging facilities are difficult to find in Aceh and Nias. If you are travelling to Aceh to engage in humanitarian or reconstruction work, you should do so only in conjunction with a well-established and reputable organisation that has permission to operate in Indonesia. You should ensure that your organisation has a security plan approved by the Indonesian authorities, and is actively linked to the local security advice of the UN Office for Crisis and Humanitarian Affairs in Banda Aceh. Caution should be exercised at all times and in all places, especially outside Banda Aceh. Travel after dark is particularly risky. A foreign aid worker was shot and injured while travelling by car at night in West Aceh on 23 June 2005. A second foreign aid worker was injured on 7 July 2005 after up to 15 shots were fired at her car in South Aceh, again at night. You should exercise caution when travelling to remote areas. All agencies and donors working in Aceh must register with the Indonesian Government's BRR office in Banda Aceh. Regulations regarding entry into and permission to remain in Aceh can change at any time. You should check with the: Indonesian Embassy in London prior to travel to obtain the most recent information on entry requirements and registration procedures while in Aceh. Maluku and North Maluku Provinces You should avoid all travel to Maluku, particularly Ambon. Violence in Ambon has resulted in a number of deaths and serious injuries. The situation in Maluku and North Maluku remains unsettled. Central Sulawesi You should avoid all travel to Central Sulawesi Province. There continues to be intermittent violence and sporadic sectarian clashes in this area. On 31 December 2005, a bomb explosion in Palu, Central Sulawesi resulted in at least eight deaths and 46 injured. On 29 October 2005, a group of Christian schoolgirls were attacked near Poso in Central Sulawesi. Three schoolgirls were beheaded and one injured. At least 21 people were killed in two bomb attacks in a market in Tentana on 28 May 2005. Papua Political tensions in Papua have given rise to outbursts of dissent and sporadic violence. If you are visiting Papua, you should exercise caution and seek local advice on your travel plans. You should avoid large crowds and demonstrations, as elsewhere in Indonesia. A demonstration against the New Orleans-based mining company, Freeport McMoRan, took place on 16 March 2006 at the University of Cendrawasih in Abepura, near the Papuan provincial capital Jayapura. This resulted in violent clashes. Three police officers and one member of the armed forces were killed. Papuan separatists have kidnapped foreigners in the past, most recently in 2002. There remains a small but significant risk. Permits are required to travel to Papua, and these can be obtained from the: Indonesian Embassy in London. Road Safety If you plan to hire a car, you should note that traffic discipline is poor and city streets are congested. There is considerable advantage in hiring a car with a driver and this is not especially expensive. If you break down or have a minor accident you should stay with your vehicle with the car doors locked until the police arrive. Motorcyclists can be particularly dangerous. Air Safety There are a number of domestic airlines in Indonesia, although there are concerns about the reliability of some of them. You should be aware that there have been a number of major aircraft crashes in Indonesia over the last ten years, for reasons including bad weather, poor maintenance and mechanical failure. 103 passengers and many local residents died when a Mandala Airlines aircraft crashed in Medan on 5 September 2005. If you intend to use a domestic airline, you should check first with your travel agent that the airline has a good safety record. Sea Safety Inter-island travel by small boats can be dangerous as storms appear quickly and navigational equipment is often limited. There have been attacks against ships in and around the waters of Indonesia. Mariners are advised to be vigilant; reduce opportunities for theft; establish secure areas onboard; and report all incidents to the coastal and flag state authorities. LOCAL LAWS AND CUSTOMSDrugs Do not get involved with illegal drugs. Possession, trafficking and manufacture of such drugs are serious offences in Indonesia. Those caught face lengthy prison sentences or the death penalty, usually after a protracted and expensive legal process. Even the possession of small amounts of drugs such as marijuana or ecstasy can lead to prison sentences longer than four years. Convicted traffickers or users of hard drugs such as cocaine or heroin face the death penalty in Indonesia. In August 2005, the Indonesian police launched a campaign against illegal drug use. This included raids of popular nightclubs across Indonesia, including Bali and Jakarta, and urine tests of suspected drug users. A number of foreigners were arrested in these raids. Gambling Gambling is illegal in Indonesia. There have been cases where tourists have fallen victim to organised gambling gangs, resulting in the loss of large amounts of money. Overstayers Visa overstayers or those in violation of their visa conditions face large fines and/or detention followed by deportation at their own expense. Private Accommodation Foreigners in Indonesia who are staying in private accommodation (not hotels) must register their presence with the local police or face a fine of Rp 5 million (£290). ENTRY REQUIREMENTSAll British nationals in Indonesia should ensure that their passport is valid. You are required to retain your arrival card for presentation to Immigration on departure. All passports must be valid for a minimum period of six months upon arrival. Entry to Indonesia may be refused and airlines may not carry passengers holding passports with less than six months validity. Overstaying without the proper authority is a serious matter and visitors can be held in detention or refused permission to leave the country until a fine is paid. British tourists need to purchase a tourist visa on arrival at one of the main air or sea ports. A three-day visa on arrival costs US $10 and a 30-day visa costs US$25 per person. If you are not arriving at one of the main points of entry you will need to obtain a visa prior to travel. If you require a visa for anything other than tourism, or if you require further information on entry requirements, you should contact the: Indonesian Embassy in London. Single parents or other adults travelling alone with children should be aware that some countries require documentary evidence of parental responsibility before allowing lone parents to enter the country or, in some cases, before permitting the children to leave the country. They may want to see birth certificates, a letter of consent from the other parent or some evidence as to your responsibility for the child. Indonesian authorities do not normally require such evidence, but if you have concerns please check with the: Indonesian Embassy in London. HEALTHYou are advised to consult with your GP about vaccinations and health issues before travelling. Medical care can be very expensive. The standard of local medical care can be poor. Some medical tests cannot be done reliably in country. Good medical attention for serious injuries or illness is likely to be unobtainable in remote areas, and may require expensive medical evacuation costing up to tens of thousands of pounds. You should take out full medical and travel insurance covering all eventualities. You check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake. Please see: Travel Insurance. You should ensure that your vaccinations are adequate and up-to-date. Do not drink tap water or water that is not bottled and sealed. Hygiene standards in restaurants vary. Beware of food from streetside vendors, which might be contaminated and cause diarrhoea or worse bacterial diseases such as typhoid or cholera. If you feel unwell, you should see a good doctor. There has been considerable damage to the underlying health care in areas affected by the 26 December earthquake and tsunami. Flooding, stagnant water, disruption of sewer lines, and poor quality sanitation conditions are conducive to development of disease. Those in affected areas are advised to purchase bottled water, as local water sources may be contaminated. Avian Influenza (bird flu) There have been outbreaks of Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) in poultry and a small number of pig farms in Indonesia. This has led to a number of human fatalities, believed to have arisen through close contact with infected poultry. Since the end of 2003, a number of human deaths have also occurred in Azerbaijan, Cambodia, China, Iraq, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam. The risk to humans from Avian Influenza is believed to be very low. However, as a precaution, you should avoid visiting live animal markets, poultry farms and other places where you may come into close contact with domestic, caged or wild birds; and ensure poultry and egg dishes are thoroughly cooked. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned of the possibility that the Avian Influenza outbreaks could lead at some point to a human flu pandemic, if the virus mutates to a form which is easily transmissible between people. British nationals living longer term in an Avian-Influenza affected region should take personal responsibility for their own safety in the event of a future pandemic, including considering their access to adequate healthcare and ensuring travel documents are up to date. You should read this advice in conjunction with the FCO's Avian and Pandemic Influenza Factsheet. Polio The Indonesian authorities have reported outbreaks of polio in west Java and southern Sumatra and have instituted local vaccination programmes. For the latest information, including the number of confirmed human fatalities, prevention measures and other FAQs, you should visit the World Health Organisation (WHO) website at: http://w3.whosea.org/en/Section1226.asp. Dengue Fever and Malaria Malaria exists in parts of Indonesia. Before travelling to Indonesia, you should seek medical advice about suitable anti-malarial medication. Dengue Fever is also endemic in much of the country and particularly during the rainy season (December to April) incidences of dengue increase considerably. For these reasons, you should take sensible precautions against being bitten by mosquitoes. If you are intending to visit other countries in the region, you should also check our Travel Advice for those destinations. For further information on health, check the Department of Health's website at: www.dh.gov.uk. NATURAL DISASTERSEarthquakes Indonesia is located in an earthquake zone, and major earthquakes can occur at any time. There have been numerous aftershocks in Sumatra since the disastrous 26 December earthquake and tsunami that caused massive devastation to coastal areas in Aceh and parts of North Sumatra. There was also a major earthquake on 28 March 2005, affecting Nias Island. Floods Flash floods and more widespread flooding occur regularly during the rainy season from December to March. A flash flood at an orang-utan reserve popular with backpackers in Bohorok, Sumatra, killed over 100 people in late 2003. Landslides, sometimes exacerbated by deforestation, occur in rural areas during the wet season. Volcanoes There are numerous volcanoes in Indonesia, any of which can erupt without warning. You are advised to check local conditions before travelling to volcanic areas. The Indonesia Directorate of Vulcanology has warned of increased volcanic activity at a number of volcanoes across Indonesia including Mt. Gunung Talang (near Padang) and Mt. Gunung Marapi (near Bukittinggi) in central Sumatra, Mt. Anak Krakutau off west Java, Mt Tangkuban Perahu near Bandung in central Java and Mt. Gunung Semeru in east Java. Localised earthquake tremors have been associated with this activity. Travellers should exercise caution, check local news reports and follow local advice. The capacity of the emergency and rescue services to deal with large natural disasters is limited. | 
