Australians reluctant so far to leave Indonesia

Muhammad Nafik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Australians, including businesspeople living across Indonesia, said they would not return home despite a strong appeal by their government on Thursday for its citizens living or visiting here to leave soon.

"They have no plans to leave the country in the near future," president of the Indonesia-Australia Business Council (IABC) Eli Hutabarat told The Jakarta Post, quoting her Australian colleagues living in Jakarta.

Heather Waugh, an Australian business consultant at a public relations company in Jakarta, confirmed she and many other Australians would stay in Indonesia.

"Why should I go?" she told the Post. "People who know about Indonesia very well will say there is no reason to go," added Waugh, who has been in Indonesia for years.

She said: "I have contacts with Australian friends who are businesspeople and they say they have the same opinion".

Earlier on Thursday, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer claimed to have uncovered "disturbing new information" about more terrorist threats against its people and interests in Indonesia and urged its citizens there to leave.

He recommended that Australian tourists and others without essential business get out of Indonesia.

The majority of at least 183 people killed in last Saturday's bombing of a nightclub on the resort island of Bali were Australians. Following the attack, Canberra advised others to defer nonessential travel to Indonesia.

Downer also warned that Australians now faced security risks in six other Southeast Asian countries.

Commenting on Downer's statement, Eli said it was not an "order" that Australians in Indonesia had to abide by. "It's only a suggestion and they can freely follow it or not," she added.

Eli said Australian businesspeople living across Indonesia felt "safe" and had received no hostile threats following the Bali bombings.

"I had dinner last night with my Australian friends and talked to them today (Thursday). They say they would not leave," Eli said.

"Bomb attacks can occur anywhere, not just Indonesia," she argued.

Waugh, however, said the Australian government's warning indicated its "great concern for the majority of citizens" in Australia, Indonesia and other countries following the second- worst terrorist attack after the Sept. 11, 2001 tragedy in the United States.

"The warning may only affect those who are married and have young children," she added.

Following the appeal, Waugh and Eli said citizens of Australia would increase alertness against possible attacks on them and continue to monitor the security situation in Indonesia.

Reni Winata, director of the Australian Studies Center at Jakarta's University of Indonesia, echoed the statements by Waugh and Eli.

"I don't think they (Australians) will get out of Indonesia. They have many interests here, not only business," Reni said, adding that they knew most Indonesian Muslims embraced moderation in practicing their religion.

According to her, possible security threats against Australians could have been dampened if Canberra had taken a low- profile stance with regard to the U.S.-led campaign against global terrorism.