With this article we will try to give some background information about the safety situation in Indonesia, but it must be up to you to decide if it is safe enough to visit the country. Be aware that the situation changes frequently, so make sure you have the latest and most reliable information before you make up your mind. But don't get too intimidated by what is written in the western press, most of Indonesia is safe with very friendly people, as you soon will discover when you go there.

Indonesia has about 220 million people, unfortunately among these there is a small group of religious fanatics who don't respect any human life. In recent years a number of bombs have been set off in the big cities like Jakarta, Medan and Manado. The bomb attacks has mainly been targeted at shopping malls and churches. The worst incident is the terrible terrorist attack on two nightclubs on Bali 12th of October 2002 which claimed more than 200 lives and many more injured.

Maluku

In Maluku there has been religious fightings between Muslims and Christians since 1998, more than 6.000 have died. It is commonly believed that the Muslim extremist group Laskar Jihad is behind the disturbances. Their leader have been arrested, and apparently most of the Laskar Jihad members have returned to Central Java. Northern Maluku is now open for travelers again, while Ambon and South Maluku is still a little bit restless, and you need a permit to travel there (as of June 2003). However some people have traveled to Banda and Kai islands with no problems, and have organized the permit with the local police there. It is recommended to obtain the permit beforehand, in order to avoid excessive bribes (fines). Keep an eye on the situation though, as renewed problems may arise, and Maluku is at the moment best avoided by the unexperienced traveler. Religious segregation still exist, some areas are filled with refugees and you may experience an anti-western mood, even if this is unlikely to turn violent.

Irian Jaya

The OPM guerilla on Irian Jaya have been fighting for independence for decades, and now and then there are reports of trouble there, like kidnapping of foreigners. Much of this has taken place in relation to the Freeport Mine close to Timika in Central Irian Jaya, which is seen as imperialistic (run by an American company) and polluting. Recently there was a shooting episode here which killed several American teachers, some suspect the Indonesian Army to be behind this. Travelers may need a permit to visit certain regions of the Irian Jaya province. Staying in the big cities is considered to be safe. Check the conditions before you visit the more remote areas, many travelers visit Irian Jaya every year without problems.

Aceh

Aceh at the northern tip of Sumatra should be avoided at the time being. Officially all foreign tourists have been banned from entering Aceh from June 2003. The Indonesian military has launched an offensive against GAM, the Aceh liberation group which have been fighting for independence since the 1970's. Still some travelers try to enter Aceh, which is not at all impossible, but either they are not aware of the risks, or just looking for adventure. A German tourist was recently shot and killed by Indonesian soldiers. The recent Tsunami disaster have ruined much of the coastal infrastructure, and made travel here even more difficult.

Sulawesi

Sulawesi is safe, except for the Poso district in Central Sulawesi which have seen clashes between Christians and Muslims. Also here the Laskar Jihad group is suspected to be behind much of the killings and violence. According to Lonely Planet the Philippine terrorist organization Abu Sayyaf is said to be active in North Sulawesi, but this is still a safe place to visit. There have been a couple of episodes involving bombs in Manado, one just after the Bali-bombing, but probably not related to this.

West Timor

West Timor was considered to be unsafe the months before and after the independence of East-Timor, and you should still keep an eye open if you visit this area.

Kalimantan

Fightings between the indigenous Dayak population and migrant Madurese on West Kalimantan has occurred about eight times in the last two decades. Ethnic tensions continue in West Kalimantan, where hundreds of people were killed and thousands displaced following fightings that began in late December 1996. Bloody clashes between the indigenous Dayak people, migrants from Madura and the military started in early January 1997, and resulted in a death toll of over 500. The history of clashes between the Dayak and the Madurese go back as far as 1983, when many died in clashes in Pontianak. Many landless peasants from Java and the island of Madura (SE of Java) moved to West Kalimantan as part of a government resettlement program which offers free land, housing and food aid.

Tensions between Christian Dayak, who make up 40 per cent of West Kalimantan's population, and the Muslim Madurans have been fueled by fears that the migrants will take away land and jobs from the indigenous people. Anthropological accounts of Dayaks make much of their former reputation as headhunters, based on a belief that to take a head is to take the strength of your victim. Actually many Madurese were beheaded during the worst clashes, today thousands of Madurese refugees are sheltering in the West Kalimantan capital, Pontianak. We have not seen any reports of violence here lately.

Lombok

Lombok island east of Bali saw some religious unrest in January 2000, with several people dead and many churches burnt down. The situation is today under control, and Lombok is considered to be a safe destination.

General

As you can see, Indonesia has it's share of problems, and to say it is a perfectly safe place to visit would be a lie, but your home country may not be completely safe either. You should have in mind that this is a huge country with more than 220 million people, and there is very few reports of travelers who have encountered any problems. On the contrary, the large majority feel safe and get along well with the friendly people of Indonesia. In general looting and other criminality is relatively rare, even if it has increased considerably after the monetary crisis.

Just stay away from the trouble spots like Aceh, don't be naive and keep your eyes open, as you would in any country. If you have personal experience with travel in Indonesia or another opinion of the safety here, feel free to make a comment in the forum (click the link at the bottom of the page).

Some of the linked sites below will advice you to completely stay away from Indonesia. We cannot give you any personal advice on this, but we recommend that you try to seek a second opinion before you make up your mind.

See also:

• Maps of Indonesia

Internet links:

• The UK FCO's Travel Advice
• Consular Affairs Travel Report (for Canadians)
• U.S Department of State
• Jakarta Post (for daily update of the situation)
• Lonely Planet Thorn Tree Forum for travelers

{mos_smf_discuss:Indonesia Discussion Board}