Some expatriates choose to remain in Jakarta

JAKARTA (JP): While thousands of foreigners join the race to the airport due to the country's uncertain political situation and last week's riots, there are some expatriates who have decided to sit tight.

These few exceptions are not journalists, nor even embassy staff.

Speaking to The Jakarta Post yesterday, they pledged to stay in the capital come what may.

"I've been here in better times, why should I leave in bad times?" said Franz V. Eichenauer, general manager of the Mercantile Athletic Club.

The Austrian said he had no reason to flee the country despite the abundant reports on the increasing number of expatriates leaving Indonesia over the past few days.

"I don't feel unsafe," said Eichenauer, who has lived here with his wife for two years at the Ascott apartments in Central Jakarta.

He was met at the entrance of the World Trade Center on Jl. Sudirman in South Jakarta by the club's chef, Robert, who had a tray full of boxes of cakes from the Mercantile.

According to the two expatriates, they have distributed the snacks free of charge every day to on-duty police, soldiers, security guards, passersby and residents in different areas in the city since Thursday evening, the day violent unrest and looting erupted.

"We're traveling around the city, wherever my driver takes us to drop this food," said Eichenauer.

At a time like this, "I believe more people need food and I think it's time to help them ease their burdens," he added.

Eichenauer said he could only afford to have positive thoughts about the country's current upheaval and believed the problem would soon be resolved.

"The situation here right now is much better than in other places I've experienced," he said, adding that he had spent almost six years in the Soviet Union.

Eichenauer said he really loved Indonesia, particularly the city and the people. He understands the turmoil that has hit the country, but hopes a favorable situation will return soon.

He named three things that he considered would help restore harmony: "the nation's nice people, their strong religious beliefs and the country's intellectuals."

Briton Andy Hollingshead, a Moslem, acknowledged that the situation had gone further than anyone ever imagined it could.

But he said such mayhem could occur in any country and he strongly believed the situation would improve.

Hollingshead's main reason for staying is his family. "I'm married to an Indonesian and I don't say that it's safe, but I have to stay," he said.

The Nestle employee lives in Bandung, West Java, where he said the situation was relatively calmer than Jakarta.

He said he was in the city on business and would return to Bandung at the earliest. He has lived in the country for about three years.

Paul, who declined to give his last name, said he wanted to stay here but he had been urged to leave by those dear to him.

He said he and his wife, also a foreigner, both loved the country but they had only been married for six months and her family was very worried about the situation here.

He, therefore, had joined the queue at the American Embassy to collect administrative clearance for joining the chartered planes provided by his country.

However, Paul had decided to put off leaving for a few more days as he said the situation in the city did not seem as bad as had been reported by the foreign media.

Paul, who works for a plantation in Lembang, West Java, said he had been in the country for almost three and a half years and had enjoyed the country very much. (emf)