This advice has been reviewed and reissued with amendments to the Terrorism, Political Situation and Health sections. The threat level has not changed.
SAFETY AND SECURITY
Terrorism
A large car bomb exploded outside the Australian Embassy on 9 September. We understand that at least nine people have died and many others have been injured.
It is not yet clear who was responsible for this attack but we are aware that terrorists in Indonesia continue to plan further attacks on Westerners and Western interests. On 11 September the United States Embassy in Jakarta issued a warden notice advising its nationals to avoid the Kuningan area of Jakarta, including the area near the Embassy of Australia and the entire Rasuna complex (an apartment/club complex). Westerners were deliberately targeted in terrorist attacks in Bali (October 2002) and Jakarta (August 2003 and September 2004).
You should also be aware that the US Travel Advice was re-issued on 7 September to advise travellers to Indonesia to avoid identifiably Western hotels.
Extremist groups such as Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), which have links to Al-Qaida, are thought to be responsible for the Bali bombings, which killed 202 people in October 2002, and the Marriott Hotel bombing in Jakarta, which killed 12 people in August 2003.
Crime
You should beware of street crime and pickpockets. Take personal security measures such as:-
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Taking particular care to safeguard your passport and credit/ATM cards. You are advised not to lose sight of your credit card during transactions;
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Beware of thieves while travelling on public transport;
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When taking a taxi, use one from a reputable firm, preferably booked by phone or arranged by your hotel.
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For longer journeys it is a sensible precaution to notify friends of travel plans, contact them on arrival and where possible travel in convoy. There have been reports of cars being stopped and passengers robbed on highways.
Political Situation
Demonstrations are part of the Indonesian political culture. Most political demonstrations are peaceful. However, it is best to avoid large crowds. The Parliamentary Elections on 5 April and the Presidential elections on 5 July and 20 September passed without major incident.
You should be aware of offending Muslim sensitivities. Westerners have occasionally been harassed by fundamentalists in bars and nightclubs, particularly around major Islamic holidays.
Local Travel
Our additional advice for British nationals in Indonesia who are travelling outside Jakarta is as follows:
Aceh
You should avoid travel to Aceh. Aceh is currently under civilian emergency law after a year under martial law, and there is an ongoing military operation in the province. There are sporadic armed clashes. The Indonesian authorities have declared the waters inside the 12 nautical mile limit around Aceh closed to all foreign ships. British vessels are advised to avoid the exclusion zone.
Maluku and North Maluku Provinces
You should avoid all travel to Maluku, particularly Ambon. In April 2003, renewed violent clashes in Ambon resulted in a number of deaths.
Central Sulawesi
We advise against all travel to Central Sulawesi. There continues to be intermittent violence in this area. Although Christian/Muslim violence in Poso and neighbouring areas in Central Sulawesi diminished in 2002 following a peace agreement, the area remains tense. In late 2003, renewed violence resulted in the death of a number of Indonesians.
Papua
Papuan separatists have kidnapped foreigners in the past, most recently in 2002. There remains a small but significant risk. You should steer clear of any street protests, which can rapidly turn violent. Permits are required from the police to travel to Papua (except Jayapura and Biak).
Road Safety
Visitors who plan to hire cars should note that traffic discipline is poor and cities congested. There is considerable advantage in hiring cars with drivers and this is not especially expensive. If you break down or have a minor accident it is best to stay with your vehicle with the car doors locked until the police arrive. Motorcyclists are a particular threat passing close to either side of the vehicle or across the front vying for position.
Air Safety
Small commercial aircraft crash periodically in remote parts of Indonesia. You should be aware that the maintenance of such aircraft might not be as comprehensive as in the UK.
Sea Safety
Inter-island travel by small boats can also be dangerous as storms appear quickly and navigational equipment is often limited. There have been attacks against ships in and around the waters of Indonesia. Mariners are advised to be vigilant; reduce opportunities for theft; establish secure areas onboard; and report all incidents to the coastal and flag state authorities.
LOCAL LAWS AND CUSTOMS
Drugs
The possession of illegal drugs is a serious offence in Indonesia and those caught face lengthy prison sentences, usually after a protracted and expensive legal process. Even the possession of small amounts of drugs classified low in the UK such as marijuana can lead to prison sentences longer than four years. Convicted traffickers or users of hard drugs such as ecstasy or heroin face the death penalty in Indonesia.
Overstayers
Visa overstayers or those in violation of their visa conditions face large fines and/or detention followed by deportation at their own expense.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
All British nationals in Indonesia should ensure that their passport is valid. You are required to retain your arrival card for presentation to Immigration on departure.
All passports must be valid for a minimum period of six months upon arrival. Entry to Indonesia may be refused and airlines may not carry passengers holding passports with less than six months validity. Overstaying without the proper authority is a serious matter and visitors can be held in detention or refused permission to leave the country until a fine is paid.
The Indonesian Government announced that from 1 February 2004, nationals from many countries, including the UK, will need to purchase a tourist visa on arrival at one of the main air or sea ports. A three-day visa on arrival costs US$10 and a 30-day visa costs US$25 per person. If you are not arriving at one of the main points of entry you will need to obtain a visa prior to travel. If you require a visa for anything other than tourism, or if you require further information on entry requirements, you should contact:
Indonesian Embassy in London.
Single parents or other adults travelling alone with children should be aware that some countries require documentary evidence of parental responsibility before allowing lone parents to enter the country or, in some cases, before permitting the children to leave the country. They may want to see birth certificates, a letter of consent from the other parent or some evidence as to your responsibility for the child. Indonesian authorities do not normally require such evidence, but if you have concerns please check with:
Indonesian Embassy in London.
HEALTH
Avian influenza (bird flu)
There have been recent, renewed outbreaks of avian influenza (bird flu) amongst poultry in Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, China and Cambodia. Four people have died in Vietnam since early August. 24 people died, including 16 in Vietnam and eight in Thailand, following outbreaks of avian influenza in parts of Asia earlier this year.
Travellers to Indonesia are not likely to be affected, but you should avoid live animal markets and poultry farms and places where you may come into contact with live poultry. You are advised to consult with your GP about vaccinations and health issues before travelling. For further information on local health issues, such as outbreaks of regional disease eg SARS, Bird Flu, please check the WHO and DoH websites at:
US Travel Advice for Indonesia or
www.dh.gov.uk
Medical care can be very expensive. Good medical attention for serious injuries or illness is likely to be unobtainable in remote areas, and may require expensive medical evacuation. You should take out full medical and travel insurance covering all eventualities.
The standard of local medical care can be poor. Some medical tests cannot be done reliably in country. Malaria exists in parts of Indonesia and you should seek medical advice before travelling. The Dengue Fever mosquito is found throughout Indonesia including in Jakarta. People should take elementary precautions against mosquitoes.
NATURAL DISASTERS
Indonesia is located in an earthquake zone, and major earthquakes can occur.
Flash floods and more widespread flooding occur regularly during the rainy season from December to March. A flash flood at an orang-utan reserve popular with backpackers in Bohorok, Sumatra, killed over 100 people in late 2003. Landslides, sometimes exacerbated by deforestation, occur in rural areas during the wet season.
There are numerous volcanoes in Indonesia, any of which can erupt without warning. You are advised to check local conditions before travelling to volcanic areas.
GENERAL
Foreigners in Indonesia must show evidence of their identity if requested by, for example, the Police. You may carry photocopies of the relevant pages of passports and your arrival card to avoid losing the original, which should be kept in a safe place.
When leaving the country by plane you should note that the Airport Tax is 100,000 Rupiah.
It is particularly important at this time of heightened threat that all resident British nationals register with the Embassy either through the Embassy's web site, by fax or by mail. Please inform the Embassy if you are leaving Indonesia for more than ten days. It is also very important that you notify the Embassy upon return.
The British Consulate in Surabaya is temporarily closed. All enquiries should be addressed to the British Consulate-General in Jakarta.
