Police step up security for expats<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Police across the archipelago are stepping up security
\nmeasures to protect expatriates amid lingering threats by
\nmilitant groups to forcibly expel Westerners.<\/p>\n
Police are keeping an eye on expatriates in public places, on
\nthe street, their residences, hotels and places commonly
\nfrequented by foreigners.<\/p>\n
In Central Sulawesi, the immigration office is ready to
\nprocess immigration papers for the departure of 52 Americans,
\nmostly missionaries, working in the province.<\/p>\n
Central Java Police said that the increased protection of
\nforeigners was part of efforts to safeguard foreign nationals and
\ntheir assets as America continued to bomb strategic Taliban sites
\nin Afghanistan.<\/p>\n
Radical Muslim groups see the strikes on Afghanistan as an act
\nof aggression toward Islam. They want to retaliate as an
\nexpression of religious solidarity by expelling Americans and
\ncitizens of countries that support America.<\/p>\n
\"We are compelled to beef up security for foreigners and their
\nassets in anticipation of the worst,\" said Central Java Police
\nchief Insp. Gen. Erwin MAP.<\/p>\n
There are 200 foreigners registered with the provincial
\ngovernment as employees and managers. Most of them reside in
\nJepara, Surakarta, Semarang, Salatiga and Kudus.<\/p>\n
Erwin has ordered police in all towns to set up command posts
\nto supervise foreign nationals there.<\/p>\n
\"We will not tolerate violence, including 'sweeps', on foreign
\nnationals,\" he said.<\/p>\n
In Senggigi, a popular tourist resort in the West Nusa
\nTenggara island of Lombok, local citizens are involved in the
\nprotection of tourists. Over 200 families in Senggigi have formed
\na taskforce to secure the resort from anti-U.S. extremists.<\/p>\n
The taskforce, named Community Caring for Senggigi, was formed
\nat the town's mosque in the presence of local officials, Antara
\nreported.<\/p>\n
They pledged to assist police and the government to protect
\ntourists and other foreigners visiting the area. Of the 39,000
\nresidents, 90 percent of the population depend on the tourist
\nindustry for their livelihood.<\/p>\n
Foreign nationals living in Irian Jaya, notably PT Freeport
\nemployees in Timika, have been given assurances of their safety
\nby the local Prajaviratama military commander, Col. MR Saragih.<\/p>\n
The military command has a special unit responsible for
\nproviding security for the giant copper company, PT Freeport,
\nwhich is mostly U.S. owned.<\/p>\n
Saragih said that he had heard no word of threats to hunt down
\nAmericans or to disrupt PT Freeport operations in his area of
\ncommand, which covers Sorong, Manokwari, Fakfak and Mimika.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, immigration officials in Palu, where anti-American
\nfeeling is strong, are on top alert.<\/p>\n
\"I guarantee that all foreign nationals can leave at any time
\nin case of emergency because they all their immigration documents
\nhave been prepared,\" immigration office spokesman Bambang Satrio
\ntold Antara.<\/p>\n
Palu, like Makassar in South Sulawesi and Jakarta, has seen
\ndaily anti-U.S. demonstrations since America launched the first
\nstrike on Afghanistan on Oct. 7.<\/p>\n
But none of the Westerners living in the province have left,
\naccording to Bambang.<\/p>\n
Statistics at the immigration office show that 158 foreign
\nnationals live in Central Sulawesi. Of those, 52 are American, 16
\nare German, 15 Malaysian, 15 Taiwanese and 11 Japanese. The rest
\nare mostly from other Western European countries.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-step-up-security-for-expats-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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