Indonesia - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 159

SAFETY IN INDONESIA
The militant Islamic Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist group has been responsible for numerous
bombs in Indonesia, most notably the Bali bomb of 2002, which killed more than two
hundred people and left the country's entire tourist industry in tatters. Subsequently there
were bombings at the Marriott hotel in Jakarta in August 2003, the Australian embassy in
Jakarta in September 2004, Bali again in October 2005 and Jakarta's JW Marriott and
Ritz-Carlton hotels in July 2009. Terrorism remains a threat, though there is no need to be more
alarmed here than you would be anywhere else frequented by tourists in Southeast Asia.
Caution is advised in the trouble spots around the Maluku Islands and central Sulawesi
where the situation remains unsettled. Much of the trouble dates back to 1999, and the
horrifying chaos of the elections of the newly independent state of East Timor. Riots in many
parts of the archipelago pitched Muslims against their Christian neighbours, while locals in
other provinces, inspired by the success of East Timor in winning its independence, began to
fight for the secession of their own province. The Maluku Islands in particular were
devastated by an internecine war that left thousands dead. A measure of calm has returned to
the islands, and travellers are now trickling back.
The security situation can also be unpredictable in other trouble spots such as Aceh in
northern Sumatra, and the Poso region of central Sulawesi (see box, p.327). We also do not
cover remote and little-visited West Papua (formerly known as Irian Jaya), whose ongoing
separatist struggle has in the past resulted in violence against foreigners, or East Timor's
neighbour, West Timor . If you insist on visiting Indonesia's more unsettled areas, make sure
you are fully aware of the latest situation, and heed any warnings given out by your foreign
o ce (see box, p.44), as well as the local people who, along with your fellow travellers, are
usually the best source of up-to-date information.

4

carving, dancing and music-making. he
islands east of Bali - collectively known
as Nusa Tenggara - are attracting
increasing numbers of travellers,
particularly neighbouring Lombok , with
its beautiful beaches and temples. East
again, the Komodo dragons draw
travellers to Komodo and Rinca , and then
it's an easy hop across to Flores , which
has the unforgettable coloured crater
lakes of Kelimutu . South of Flores, Sumba
is famous for its intricate fabrics, grand
funeral ceremonies and extraordinary
annual ritual war, the pasola .
North of Flores, Sulawesi is renowned
for the idiosyncratic architecture and
impressively ghoulish burial rituals of
the highland Torajans. West of Sulawesi,
the island of Borneo plays host to
the Indonesian state of Kalimantan ,
with opportunities for river travel in
remote jungle.

Seventh century The Buddhist Srivijaya kingdom, based
in Palembang in South Sumatra, controls the Melaka
straits for the next four hundred years. Its empire extends
as far as Thailand and West Borneo.
Ninth century In central Java, it's an age of spectacular,
competitive temple building: the Buddhist Saliendra
kingdom erects the magnificent temple of Borobudur,
while the rival Sanjaya empire builds the Hindu Prambanan
temple complex.
1292-1389 The Hindu Majapahit empire, based in East
Java, rules over a vast area from Sumatra to Timor, the first
time the archipelago's major islands are united.
Fourteenth century Islam, which had been introduced
to Sumatra centuries earlier, spreads eastwards into Java
as small coastal sultanates grow after the collapse of the
Majapahit empire.
Early sixteenth century The Portuguese establish a
virtual monopoly over the lucrative spice trade, taking
control of the Moluccas (Maluku or Spice Islands).
1602 The Dutch, who had arrived at the end of the
sixteenth century, establish the Dutch East India Company
(VOC), which gains a monopoly over trade with the
Moluccas. It starts building a loose but lucrative empire
across the archipelago.
1619 The VOC builds a fortress in Jakarta. The local
population responds angrily, and the Dutch retaliate by
razing the city and renaming it Batavia.
Eighteenth century The plains of Central Java, ruled
by the Islamic Mataram empire, are riven by dynastic

CHRONOLOGY
c. 800,000 years ago Java Man, whose skull fragments
were found near Solo in 1893, is the earliest evidence of
hominoids in the region.
Fifth century AD Numerous small Hindu kingdoms
pepper the islands.