Safety

In connection with an appearance of so called „bird flu“ in most of Indonesian territory we wish to recommend all citizens, who have the intention to travel into this country, to draw the highest prudence and keep all hygienical rules. So, do not eat, in any case, poultry meat or eggs, worked in unsufficient way, do not visit any poultry farms and works or even birds´ markets. Further, you are also recommended, not to have any contact with just dead animals.

From safety point of view, the Indonesia is not, from this point of view, quite safe country, especially owing to riots and violence in many provinces and areas. So, the travellers are recommended, to pay their maximal attention, in the course of their stay in the country, the question of personal safety, so that they could be informed in time, from local or foreign press sources, about actual situation, including following of risk questions, connected with activities of terrorist and radical groups in this part of the world.

In general, you have to take into account your highest precaution, when travelling into remote and desert parts of the country. In case of individual trips, you are recommended to be informed on spot about actual safe situation in concrete region and travel into remote areas accompanied with local guide only. As the experience from past years shows, these radical groups could effect their frightened actions, directed against entertainment events, bars and other arrangements, visited by foreigners,during religious ceremonies (especially Islamic ones). This fact must be taken into consideration mainly before and during Ramadan, Lent Moslems´ month.

Within past three months, there happened in Jakarta and other bigger Indonesian towns, some terroristic bomb attacks. However, such explosions happened even in places frequently visited by foreigners, including localities, taken for, in past, as absolutely safe ones. This fact was proved by terror attacks  against entertainment events in Bali-Kuta in October 2002, which were finished with 200 victims (mostly tourists fvrom abroad), killed there. Moreover, within 2003, another bomb attacks followed, and another similar attacks could not be excluded in the future.

Indonesia is registered in a survey of countries, where radical Islamic organizations and groups are operating, organized in military way, effecting their fighting activities Indonesia is also registered in a survey of countries, where some members of international terroristic organizations, including Al-Kaida organization, could be hidden. All this presents potentionally increased risk for all travellers.

However, safety situation in Central Sulawesi Province does not present any marks of improvement and some conflicts and attacks against civic targets could occure from time to time, including means of public transport. Several repeated attacks  against public buses were effected  in this province. So, you are strictly recommended to avoid travelling by town or province buses, which cross the area mentioned above.

In connection with the continuing armed conflict in south of the Philippines, it is necessary to draw the attention to the fact that Abu Sayyafa terrorist group is specialized for kidnapping of foreign tourists in south-west part of Philippines, close to the border with Indonesia.

This fact could be a source of potentional safety risk for foreign visitors of these areas of Indonesia, situated near to risky Philippines area, for instance of North Sulawesi Province, including area of adjoining islands. The situation in Molucca Province (especially in Ambon) and North Molucca is, from safety point of view, still unstabil. The situation in Aceh Area, in north part of Sumatra, is very stretched for longer time.

The respective military operations against separatistic movement GAM in May 2003, created a focus of war conflict from this region. So, you are strictly recommended, not to visit this area. You are recommended to pay the attention the question of your personal safety, and be continuously informed about actual safety risks, even in case of trips into North Sumatra areas, placed closely to Aceh region.

Foreign visitors of West Papua (Irian Jaya) Region would pay their highest attention to a question of their personal safety and follow carefully the development of safety situation in this region. Regarding trips to West Papua, you are required to obtain, in advance, the respective police permit for entry (except trips to Jayapura and Biak).

In case of trips to West Timor Region, you are recommended to avoid the journeys outside Kupang, local administrative centre.

The visitors of Lombok, who intend to effect mountain tourist trips in the surroundings of Mount Rinjani volcano, are strictly recommended to use for this service registered guides only, and be informed in local police stations about actual situation, with regard to a fact that criminal groups, specialized for robbery attacks of foreign visitors, are operating in surroundings of the volcano.

In a harmony with Indonesian prescriptions and laws, all travellers are reminded that they are obliged to have always their personal documents available, for possible controls.

In case of short term visitors, these are. passport (in case of persons who have the respective permit for longer stay in Indonesia, so called stay-permit - KITAS Card.). The holders of KITAS Card are obliged to be registered at local Registration Office (Rukun Tertangga – RT) and the section of local police station. You are obliged to follow the length validity of stay permit, including entry/leaving visas, and effect necessary steps for its prolongation.

Short term visitors are obliged to follow their validity length of visitors´ visa, and in case of its necessary prolongation, to do necessary steps at local police station. Overrdue visas could become a reason for arrest or penalty or possible deportation and following prohibition of stay in Indonesia in the future.

The citizens, staying especially in capital Jakarta (but also in other big cities) are recommended to keep  all general principles of preventive safety, such as:

- not to stay for longer time in places where crowds of persons are gathered

- to change their regular routes of movement, from time to time

- to pay an attention to suspicious or abandoned pieces of luggage/packings in public spaces

- to pay an attention to suspicious or abandoned vehicles, parking in front of inhabitated or other buildings

So, the higher attention must ve dedicated to a question of street (general) criminality. A popular trick of criminal gangs, operating in the streets of Jakarta, there is pickpocketting of passengers of vehicles, in a moment of tyre´s defect. In such case, would you stay inside locked vehicle during all the time of change (repair of damaged tyre. With regard to increasing number of cases of robbered attacks of taxi-drivers for passengers, you are strictly recommended to use the service of registered vehicle agencies only, ordered on base of phone-call or at taxi stands of big hotels or shopping centres.

During your stay in Indonesia, you are advised to watch your personal belongings all the time(mainly money, passport, air-tickets). The biggest concentration of criminal elements is to be found in Bali Island, where the robberies of inattentive tourists happen to be most frequent. So, each visitor is obliged to watch their hand luggage, which could be stolen during a moment by street organized gangs.

The most frequent way of pilferage could happen in a moment, when the thief knocks a pedestrian with a motor-cycle, so quite immense situation occurs, abused by a thief, the luggage is whipped from hands and  the thief is leaving quickly. However, police does not check such cases, only a protocol is made and issued, and so, the whole case is closed.

Indonesia is a Moslem country, and Islam becomes more and more important. So, you are required to respect certain rules (dressing - especially in case of women, alcohol drinking, etc.).

A prudency, when consuming foodstuffs and water, is recommended (do not drink a water from water-conduit!). The repelents against trouble insects you can buy on spot and must be taken always with. However, the appearance of disease and infection from Denge-fewer is not rare there!

Indonesia belongs to the countries which very hardly catch and punish the keeping, concealing, eating or trade with drugs. The sentences to death for drug´s offences are effected exposely, even in case of foreign citizens.

Mostly of Indonesian officers do not speak English. On the other hand, you can communicate English, without any problems, in hotels. When the citizens/tourist negotiate with Indonesian officers, they have to calculate with big bureaucracy, which could make more difficult your trip in Indonesia. The Indonesian authorities punish very strictly non-keeping of migration laws ( stay overdue in Indonesia, when visa validity is over or the movement in dangerous areas of the country).

Police: 110

Firemen: 113

Ambulance: 118, 119