[Nasional-e] [Nasional] While some foreigners leave Indonesia, there's no exodus

Wed Oct 23 10:36:25 2002

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http://business-times.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,2276,61407,00.html?

October 23, 2002
JAKARTA
While some foreigners leave Indonesia, there's no exodus

Security situation exaggerated, say some business people in Jakarta

THE deadly blasts in Bali and safety warnings from embassies have failed to 
trigger an exodus of foreigners from Indonesia and some business people say 
the security situation has been exaggerated.

Australia - which bore the brunt of casualties in the Oct 12 explosions - 
Britain and the United States have told their citizens more attacks were 
likely and urged them to leave the world's most populous Muslim nation.

Only some foreigners had left the country and concert tours such as the one 
planned by veteran jazz guitarist George Benson in Indonesia had been 
cancelled.

The American Chamber of Commerce (Amcham) said a recent survey of 107 of its 
members showed that only around 3 per cent felt the security situation was 
so bad that they should leave.

A senior Jakarta-based official at British oil giant BP said most of the 
Western employees were playing down the warnings but the company had advised 
them to avoid non-essential travel outside the capital.

'We are following the security situation closely . . . but oil companies 
operate in dangerous places - that's the way it is,' the official said, 
adding he was pleased with the increased security at energy sites introduced 
after the blasts that killed nearly 200 people.

Australia's national carrier Qantas said it had arranged four extra flights 
last Friday and Saturday to evacuate people from Indonesia but less than a 
quarter of the 220 seats available on each were taken.

'In fact, people seem to be cancelling their outward trips rather than 
rushing to take trips. We're getting a higher-than-expected level of 
no-shows,' Qantas Indonesia general manager Jeff Brown told Reuters.

Australian consular figures estimate about 8,000 Australians live in 
Indonesia, around half of them in Jakarta.

While some people have heeded the travel advisories, most people do not 
expect a mass evacuation any time soon.

'I don't think there's been a rush and I don't think there will be a rush . 
. . a majority of those offered the opportunity have turned it down but some 
have taken it to have a 30-day holiday,' said a Jakarta-based Western 
security analyst.

An Australian embassy spokesman said some staff and their families had left 
but only very few.

Indonesian authorities have increased security at airports, bus terminals 
and government offices since the Bali attack, The Jakarta Post quoted police 
as saying.

The US embassy in Jakarta advised Americans to avoid 'large gatherings and 
locations known to cater to a foreign clientele, including, but not limited 
to, resorts, tourists sites, night clubs, bars, restaurants and places of 
worship', the State Department said.

In a separate development, the Australian government yesterday warned 
citizens travelling to the Philippines of an increased terrorist threat as 
critics questioned the value of its official travel advisories in the wake 
of the Bali bombing.

The upgraded warning, which a foreign ministry official said was based on 
new information, placed Manila on Australia's official danger list for the 
first time.

'Threats against Australians and Australian interests in the Philippines are 
high, given possible terrorist action and civil disorder,' it said.

'Further bomb explosions are possible across the country, including in 
Manila.'

The Philippines has experienced a wave of bombings in recent weeks, the most 
recent on Monday when a soldier was killed in Zamboanga. - Reuters, 
Bloomberg, AFP

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