Expatriates to stay in Indonesia during election

Expatriates to stay in Indonesia during election

Rendy A. Witular and Rusman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Samarinda

As the peaceful 22-day legislative campaign period has come to a
close and the nation's voters prepare for the polls on Monday,
foreign nationals residing in the country appear to be staying
for the general election, brushing aside fears of possible
violence during the election process.

Spokesman of oil and gas company BP Indonesia Pradakso
Hadiwidjojo said on Friday that all of the company's 80
expatriates were staying in the country during the election.

"None of our foreign workers have left the country. They seem
confident about the country's political and security condition,
which has remained stable up to now," said Pradakso.

He said most of the company's expatriates were stationed in
Jakarta and the majority of them were from Britain, with a few
American nationals.

BP Indonesia is the local unit of Anglo-American energy giant
BP PLC.

Ario Dewayanto, Unocal Indonesia spokesman for its Samarinda
operation, concurred with Pradakso, saying that none of Unocal's
expatriates had decided to leave the country during the election.

The local unit of U.S. energy producer Unocal Corporation has
not issued any security notices to its expatriates, whether
onshore or offshore, to stop work and temporarily remove
themselves to a safer location.

"Our situation here remains safe and sound. Operations are
normal," said Ario, adding that Unocal Indonesia employed around
100 nationals of the United States, Britain, Australia and
several Latin American countries.

Elsewhere, spokesperson for the Japanese Embassy in Jakarta
Sachiko Furuya said the embassy had issued a travel advisory for
its citizens in Indonesia to remind them to be cautious during
election year.

"We have urged our citizens to avoid demonstrations and large
gatherings, which could turn violent. Until now, we have not
received any reports that Japanese are leaving the country," she
said.

A stronger warning was issued by the American Embassy, which
issued a travel advisory over fears that terrorists might take
advantage of election day to attack local U.S. assets.

The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs said
in the advisory that election-related violence or attacks were
possible and U.S. citizens were reminded that they should avoid
demonstration and large gatherings, which could turn ugly.

The statement also said the al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah
regional terrorist network and other similar groups might use the
elections as an opportune occasion to carry out attacks.

The British and Australian embassies also issued similar
advisories, urging their citizens to avoid large crowds,
particularly in the legislative election on April 5 and the
presidential election on July 5, as well as the possible
presidential runoff on Sept. 20.