Foreigners to be banned from war-torn province

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government has declared war-torn Aceh off limits to tourists following the shooting of two German tourists last week.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the decision was made for security reasons.

"For the time being, we don't expect the presence of foreigners at some tourist resorts in Aceh as the security situation ... is not favorable," Susilo said after hearing a pledge of allegiance to Indonesia by villagers from Damak in the North Aceh regency on Saturday.

He said government regulations would be issued as soon as possible to enforce the restriction.

The minister said the government would further review the policy regarding the presence of foreign journalists and humanitarian workers in the province.

"Their presence in the province will be managed in a certain way for their own safety in carrying out their work in Aceh," Susilo was quoted by Antara as saying.

Lothar Heinrich Albert Engel died instantly while his wife, Elizabeth Margaret Engel, 49, was shot in the knee when troops opened fire on their makeshift campsite on the outskirts of a village last week.

They were the first foreign casualties in the government's military operation.

Sharing Susilo's opinion, Vice President Hamzah Haz called on the martial law administrator in Aceh to close the province off to all foreigners.

"I appeal to the martial law administrator to declare Aceh out of bounds to tourists and foreigners," Hamzah said.

However, the Vice President also urged the police to investigate the shooting of the two German nationals.

"The police should be given a chance to investigate the incident."

Hamzah said he did not believe the incident involving the two Germans would lead to a foreign investigation of the shooting.

The case should be investigated by local police, and there was no need to invite German investigators, he said.

Hamzah also said that the German government should not file a complaint with the Indonesian government over the shooting incident as it occurred in an area under martial law.

Defense Attache at the German Embassy in Jakarta Col. Bruno Hasenpusch visited the site of the shooting on Saturday, accompanied by local military officer Col. Geerhan Lantara.

Meanwhile, nine soldiers involved in the shooting of the two Germans had been told to go on leave until the investigations of the incident were completed.

Navy Capt. Ditya Soedarsono from the Aceh martial law administration said that the nine soldiers would not be punished as they had followed standard procedures before the shooting took place.