U.S. citizens allowed to leave

JAKARTA (JP): Because of rising security threats against Americans in the country, the U.S. government warned its citizens on Thursday to defer travel to Indonesia and allowed all its nonessential personnel to leave the country.

The U.S. State Department said in a travel notice, the second issued this week, that all American citizens in Indonesia should consider their personal security situations and if necessary consider leaving the country.

U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Robert S. Gelbard took up the problem of threats against Americans with Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Thursday.

"We are deeply disappointed with the failure of the police to act," Gelbard told reporters after the meeting.

"They have been good in terms of defensive measures, for example when there has been a demonstration at the embassy, but they have not been prepared to act or to arrest people who break the law when there are sweeps, when they are threats against the lives of Americans, or when there are other actions which are clearly in violation of the law.

"I have met the police several times, but thus far, they (the police) showed reluctance to act," Gelbard said after the meeting.

Also present at the meeting were Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Sofjan Jacoeb, the British Ambassador to Indonesia Richard Gozney and the U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander in Chief Adm. Thomas B. Fargo.

Gozney also expressed similar concern, saying that he had met with Sofjan to discuss the protection of Westerners, particularly Britons, who resided in or were traveling in Indonesia.

Sofjan, meanwhile, reiterated that the police would continue to provide maximum security protection for Americans and other expatriates here, but would not arrest those from militant groups arbitrarily.

"Our legal system is totally different from theirs, as arrests can only be made by police after the crime has been committed. As long as it is only in the form of verbal threats, no legal action, including arrest, can be taken," Sofjan said.

He noted that he had taken his own course of action to prevent harassment of Americans and other expatriates, including meeting with Habib Riziq, a leader of the hard-line Islam Defenders Front (FPI) that had threatened to drive Americans out of the country should the U.S. attack Afghanistan.

"I received the assurance from him that his group would not commit any acts of violence against Americans in Jakarta," Sofjan said.

Meanwhile, about 2,000 people protested outside the heavily- guarded U.S. Embassy here, burning the U.S. flag and an effigy of George Bush, that bore the message "The Big Bandit."

The protesters also carried a number of anti-American posters, such as "Bush Bullshit," "Bush Busuk (depraved)," and "If Afghanistan is attacked, jihad will be waged."

Anti-American rallies also occurred in Medan, Balikpapan, and Banjarmasin. All ended peacefully.

Dozens of students from various universities in Medan, North Sumatra, staged a protest at the province's legislative council building. Protesters burned tires, however, no clashes were reported.

Students also hit the streets in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, where hundreds of Americans work for oil companies.

They students issued an ultimatum to Americans in the town to leave or declare that they were against U.S. plans to wage war against Afghanistan.

A small demonstration also took place in Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan, where only three Americans are registered in the province.

Meanwhile, Central Java Governor Mardiyanto expressed in Semarang on Thursday his opposition to the conduct of militant groups in Surakarta that visited a number of hotels to search for Americans.

"I hope all parties will think rationally before conducting activities such as hunting down foreigners because such actions will have a negative impact on society," he said.

Meanwhile, Bali Police deputy chief Sr. Comr. Wenny Warouw stressed in Denpasar on Thursday that stern measures would be taken against any group or individual that terrorized foreigners in Bali.

"I warn any persons who intend to launch a sweep that we will not tolerate this unlawful action. And, if they still try to do so, we will not hesitate to take stern measures to prevent that," he said in a snap news conference at Bali Police Headquarters in Denpasar.

In September, an average of 25,000 foreigners were staying in Bali on any given day. Of the total, 1,800 were American citizens. (zen)