U.S. embassy staff come 'home'<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
While continuing to warn Americans against traveling to
\nIndonesia unless absolutely necessary, the U.S. government has
\nallowed its embassy personnel and their families, who left
\nIndonesia because of perceived threats, to return.<\/p>\n
It is estimated that some 100 Americans, mostly nonessential
\nstaff at the embassy and their dependents, left Indonesia in
\nSeptember and October following threats from local groups to
\n\"sweep\" Americans in response to the U.S.-led bombing of
\nAfghanistan.<\/p>\n
\"Although the Department of State has authorized the return of
\nall embassy and consulate personnel and family members effective
\nNov. 25, the security situation in many parts of Indonesia puts
\nAmericans at potential risk,\" said the latest travel warning from
\nthe State Department in Washington on Friday.<\/p>\n
Sources at the U.S. Embassy said the U.S. government had
\nwaited this long to ease the travel warning to Indonesia because
\nof warnings from senior Indonesian officials of possible
\nrepercussions at home if the U.S. action in Afghanistan continued
\ninto the Ramadhan fasting month, which began on Nov. 17.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian government had earlier urged Washington to stop
\nthe bombing campaign in Afghanistan before the start of Ramadhan,
\nsaying that domestic public opinion in predominantly Muslim
\ncountries could turn against America.<\/p>\n
But with the situation in Afghanistan rapidly changing, from
\nthe fall of Kabul to the Northern Alliance opposition forces to
\nthe near-collapse of the Taliban regime, the Afghanistan conflict
\nis no longer perceived as a war between the U. S. and
\nAfghanistan, in the way it was seen hitherto by many people.<\/p>\n
With Ramadhan entering its second week, the Indonesian
\ngovernment's concern over a renewed anti-U.S. backlash in
\nIndonesia appears to have been overstated.<\/p>\n
Anti-U.S. demonstrations were daily occurrences in the first
\ntwo weeks after the U.S. started the air strikes against
\nAfghanistan on Oct. 8. Several small but radical Muslim groups
\nalso threatened to harm American citizens or American interests,
\nsupposedly in retaliation for the U.S.-led bombing of
\nAfghanistan.<\/p>\n
There were several incidents of harassment of Americans and
\nEuropeans in the wake of the military engagement in Afghanistan,
\nbut Indonesian authorities managed to defuse the threats.<\/p>\n
The State Department's travel advisory, however, urged
\nAmericans to defer nonessential travel to Indonesia and avoid all
\ntravel to trouble spots in Indonesia, including Aceh, Irian Jaya,
\nMaluku, North Maluku, West Timor, Central and West Kalimantan and
\nCentral and South Sulawesi, because of the risk of violence.<\/p>\n
Although Indonesia's frequent political demonstrations were
\nusually peaceful, they could quickly turn violent with little
\nforewarning, it said.<\/p>\n
The State Department also warned of the likelihood of more
\nbombings which, in the past, have struck religious, political and
\nbusiness targets throughout Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"Additionally, there is information that extremist elements
\nmay be planning to target U.S. interests in Indonesia,
\nparticularly U.S. government facilities, but also possibly
\nincluding commercial and other private targets,\" it said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/us-embassy-staff-come-home-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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