Embassies urge their citizens to beware
Embassies urge their citizens to beware
WASHINGTON (Agencies): The United States, Australia and France, citing riots, looting and other security threats, have urged their citizens traveling in Indonesia to be careful and avoid demonstrations.
The U.S. embassy in Jakarta told U.S. citizens to exercise caution and seek advice before undertaking inter-city road travel in the country, noting "an increasing pattern of security threats and disturbances" affecting road travel in West Java, which it said could spread to other areas.
In addition, continuing riots and looting in some parts of the country increased the possibility of "increased tension and criminal activity arising from economic uncertainty in Indonesia," it added.
As a result, "American citizens should exercise prudence and common sense and avoid demonstrations and other situation that could turn violent," the embassy said in a public announcement to be issued in Indonesia on Wednesday.
Additionally, it urged U.S. citizens to register with the U.S. embassy in Jakarta or the consulates in Surabaya or Bali.
More information was available on the embassy home page at http://www.usembassyJakarta.org.
Meanwhile the Australian ambassador to Indonesia has warned Australians to take extra safety precautions because of civil unrest linked to the financial turmoil, AP reported from Canberra.
John McCarthy said Australians should exercise an "extra measure of caution," when traveling outside Jakarta and the holiday island of Bali.
"Unpleasant things are happening in Indonesia and people should be careful to avoid that," McCarthy told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio.
McCarthy said that foreigners had not yet been targeted in the violence, but public transport in Java should be avoided, "and common sense should be applied in avoiding large crowds."
"Clearly the situation is volatile -- let's not mess about," he said.
The French embassy in Jakarta also officially cautioned its citizens over growing security concerns in Indonesia.
A statement issued by the embassy in Jakarta said that because of "developments, particularly in Java, Sulawesi, Lombok, Flores and Sumatra" it felt driven "to call on French nationals to be cautious when traveling in the provinces".
"Within Jakarta, a measure of basis caution is recommended," the statement said, adding that certain districts were more susceptible to trouble than others.
Eight districts of Jakarta, including Chinatown, the old town center and commercial district and the modern center to the south of the capital, figured on the list of potential trouble hot spots.
The warning, which was issued through French community leaders, was "a routine measure in any period of tension", a French diplomat said.