Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
COUNTRY-SPECIFIC TRAVEL WARNINGS
One of the most important factors that must always be considered while
traveling abroad is whether a specific travel alert has been posted for the
country in question. Let us examine the alert status for Indonesia prior to
this attack. Almost a year earlier, on November 23, 2001, the U.S. State
Department posted the following alert:
The Department of State warns U.S. citizens to defer non-essential travel to
Indonesia. Although the Department of State has authorized the return of all
Embassy and Consulate personnel and family members effective November 25,
the security situation in many parts of Indonesia puts Americans at potential risk
. . . There are indications that the bombings that have recently and regularly
struck religious, political and business targets throughout Indonesia — such as
the attacks on several dozen churches on December 24, 2000, leaving 16 dead
and over one hundred injured — will likely recur. . . . . Additionally, there is
information that extremist elements may be planning to target U.S. interests in
Indonesia, particularly U.S. government facilities, but also possibly including
commercial and other private targets.
American citizens who travel to or reside in Indonesia should exercise max-
imum caution and take prudent measures such as avoiding crowds and demon-
strations, keeping a low profile, varying times and routes for all required travel,
remaining acutely aware of their immediate environment, and notifying the U.S.
embassy or Consulate in case of any change in the local security situation. Amer-
ican citizens are also urged to treat mail and packages from unfamiliar sources
with suspicion.
The State Department does not issue travel alerts without considerable
cause. This alert should immediately give pause to anyone considering
going to Indonesia simply for pleasure. State is quite clear in identifying
the threat. Bombings have occurred, are likely to recur, and the likely tar-
gets are named. If you learn nothing from this topic other than this — heed
travel warnings! If you must go to a country deemed unsafe for work or
some other compelling reason, follow the recommended precautions.
You can read the reactions to the travel advisory in comments posted
on the Internet by a few expatriate British citizens and one American resid-
ing in Indonesia. The Brits were somewhat smug in their assessment. Why,
one of them wondered, didn't the U.S. State Department issue an advisory
against travel to New York City and Washington, D.C., after the attacks on
September 11? The odds of being in a car crash, he continued, were far
Search WWH ::




Custom Search