travel news review

24 May '99
Indonesian tourism is struggling to reassure and encourage visitors, as tourism continues to be affected by instability and unrest. In an attempt to put Indonesia back on track as a travel destination, authorities have announced a Visit Indonesia Program (VIP), with a VIP Welcome Card. VIP card-holders are entitled to a 20-70% discount at over 250 hotels, restaurants and stores. The card costs US$50 and is available from http://www.vipindonesia.com and from tourism offices.

7 May '99
As violence and conflict escalate in East Timor, travellers have been advised to defer travel to this area. In the lead up to a proposed vote on East Timor's independence, anti-independence militia attacks have left a number of Timorese dead. The British Foreign Office advises that non-essential travel to East Timor be deferred due to the volatile and potentially dangerous situation. Permits are required from the police for travel to East Timor. Throughout Indonesia, the situation in the lead up to the 7June parliamentary elections is expected to remain volatile. The US State Department advises travellers in Indonesia to ensure that passports and important personal papers are kept in order in case a quick departure from the country is needed.

29 March '99
Two national airlines will be developed by the Indonesian government to ensure regular domestic carrier flights. The plan comes in anticipation of the coming open skies policy which will allow competition from foreign airlines on domestic and international flights. Sustaining two national carriers would ensure that there is a back up in case one airline falls into difficulties. Currently five airlines are operating, but all have suffered from the economic crisis and weak currency. The result for travellers has been cancellations, rescheduling, delays and closures. This situation should improve under the new initiatives.

17 March '99
The embattled Indonesian tourist industry plans to use the upcoming general elections as a tourist attraction. Enterprising tour operators are offering the 'General Election Tourism Package' for around US$200 a day. But what you get for your US$200.00 a day remains a bit sketchy. Although tensions are rising in the lead up to the election campaign, tourism officials say this need not cause concern for tourists present during the election. Indonesian tourism has suffered as a result of riots and political and social unrest, with foreign visitor numbers for 1998 down 20% from the previous year. The government has recently announced that foreign journalists covering the election will not be required to have a visa during their stay in Indonesia. The election has been scheduled for 7 June.

15 March '99
Violence continues in the riot-torn city of Ambon, Maluku. Recent demonstrations saw 2000 Muslim students protest against Christians and the military. Thousands of armed troops have been moved into the island with orders to shoot rioters on sight.

Flights to Kota Ambon were suspended in February and it remains impossible for travellers to reach the island. At the present time, the British Foreign Office advises against travel to Ambon.

10 March '99
After recent stirrings from Anak Krakatau, the volcanic island in the crater of Krakatau, tourists are being kept away. The volcano is now ejecting huge quantities of ash and smoke, and volcanic activity is increasing. Local and foreign tourists are banned from getting closer than 5 km (3mi) from the island's coastline. Now a popular tourist attraction, the dormant volcano began to stir again in 1992.

19 February '99
Indian health authorities are confident that within three years they will have eradicated leprosy as a public health problem. Their confidence springs from the results of a national campaign conducted over the past 12 months in conjunction with the World Health Organisation [WHO] to isolate hidden incidences of the disease. A public health problem is defined as an incidence rate of over one per 10,000 members of the population. Bhutan, Maldives, Thailand and Sri Lanka have already bettered this target, while Myanmar, Bangladesh and Indonesia expect to reach it by the end of next year.

India currently accounts for 65% of leprosy infections worldwide. Contrary to common opinion, leprosy is curable at all stages of onset, is mostly non-infectious and, in the 30% of infectious cases, multi-drug therapy renders the patient non-infectious within a few days.

3 February '99
The Indonesian archipelago is dotted with 137 volcanoes, by far the most in the world. With an economic crisis choking resources to the Volcanological Society of Indonesia, the next time one of them blows, it may come as a surprise. A leading Australian geologist has warned that resources monitoring Indonesia's volatile volcanic activities are inadequate.

Dr Wally Johnson, Chief Research Scientist with the Australian Geological Survey Organisation, believes that a single seismograph to monitor the activities of three volcanoes on Bali and Lombok cannot provide the information required to monitor the origin and strength of an impending eruption. Of the three - Agung and Batur in Bali, and Rinjani in Lombok - Dr Johnson believes Mt Agung is potentially the most dangerous, having last erupted in 1963. He maintains that it is in the interest of Indonesia's comparatively wealthy neighbours, such as Australia, to provide additional resources, as they too will feel the effects of an unforeseen environmental and humanitarian disaster.

1 February '99
A curfew has been imposed in Kota Ambon the capital of the Indonesian island of Maluku following violent religious clashes in the city. A number of people have been killed in the clashes and the Indonesian military is in full force on the island. The Australian Embassy has not yet issued a warning against travel to Maluku, but as all flights to and from Kota Ambon have been suspended and boats are not permitted to dock, it's not possible for travellers, or anyone else, to get to Kota Ambon at the moment.

20 January '99
The huge, spectacular Gunung Batur in north-eastern Bali has started to rumble and make general volcano erupting noises. The volcano has erupted a number of times this century, most recently in 1971, 1974 and 1994, and regularly emits smoke. A trip up Gunung Batur to watch the sunrise is a very popular trek, and there are many other walking possibilities around the central mountains and lakes.

At the moment while a full-on eruption is unlikely, government officials have suspended all treks up and around Batur until the rumblings stop. The increased volcanic activity is also of concern to the inhabitants of several villages built around the crater rim.

6 January '99
Fifty-four regional airports throughout Indonesia have been closed because of the country's economic crisis. The combination of falling passenger numbers and the costs of maintaining the airports resulted in the closures. Most of the airports are in remote areas of Indonesia and offered only limited air services. There are still 158 regional airports remaining operational.

28 December '98
Travellers are advised that sporadic violence is still occurring throughout Indonesia. Troops were sent to guard three towns on Monday after outbreaks of violence in Medan, Sumatra, Poso in Central Sulawesi and Jeneponto, South Sulawesi. The latest incident in Poso saw rioting crowds attack each other with sickles and swords, injuring 20 people and forcing hundreds to leave their homes.

7 December '98
In response to anti-Christian riots in Jakarta last week, mosques, shops and businesses owned by Muslims have been set alight in the mainly Christian Indonesian province of West Timor. Most of the rioting took place in the city of Kupang, the largest city in Timor. Soldiers are patrolling the streets and there have been no deaths. Nearly all the shops in Kupang have closesd and flights in and out of the city have been cancelled until order is restored.

A severe earthquake in eastern Indonesia on the weekend caused the deaths of at least four people. The earthquake on the remote island of Mangole Island in the Malukeu Sea measured 7.6 on the Richter scale. The United States Geological Survey in Washington has issued a tsunami, or tidal wave, warning for the entire Western Pacific.

4 December '98
The World Health Organisation has warned that the Indonesian economic crisis and resultant food shortages has seen a considerable increase in the number of tuberculosis cases in Indonesia, increasing the possible transmission of the disease to neighbouring Australia and Papua New Guinea. The World Health Organisation has identified Indonesia, China and India as the main countries where the number of reported cases of tuberculosis has increased dramatically in recent years. The disease has spread in Indonesia due to generally decreasing health standards and increasing drug resistance to the disease. The disease generally is not a serious threat to travellers as very close contact with local people is required before the disease is passed on. Vaccination against tuberculosis is still recommended for children and young adults living in high risk areas for more than three months.

2 December '98
The London-based Environmental Investigation Agency believes orang-utans in Indonesia face extinction within the next 20 years if the Indonesian government doesn't change its attitude to wildlife conservation. Indonesia is loosing about 1,000,000 hectares (3,860 square mi) each year in never-ending logging and mega-development projects. About 70% of Indonesia's forests are now completely gone and the estimated 15,000 to 25,000 orang-utans left in the wild in northern Sumatra and Kalimantan won't have much chance if Indonesia doesn't change it's logging policy. Travellers can still see orang-utans in the Gunung Leuser National Park in northern Sumutra as well as in the Tanjung Puting and Katai national parks and the Gunung Palung and Bukit Reserves in Kalimantan.

28 November '98
Students in Jakarta and other parts of Indonesia are continuing their protest against the government. On the weekend the protests became increasingly racist with attacks by Muslim protestors on Christians and ethnic Chinese. There are a number of armed soldiers on the streets and armoured vehicles are patrolling the parts of Jakarta where attacks and looting have taken place. Travellers are advised, if possible, to stay away from Jakarta.

18 November '98
At least 12 people have died in the past few days as a result of violent student demonstrations. Although President Habibe has authorized the military to use any means to quell the demonstrations, students are continuing their protests this week. Most embassies in Jakarta, the Indonesian capital, have advised travellers to stay away from the city for the time being. There have also been demonstrations at a number of regional cities in Indonesia but Bali remains calm and services for tourists are operating normally.

14 October '98
As Indonesian political upheaval continues, so do disturbances and riots around the country. This week several thousand demonstrators reportedly attended two days of rallies in East Timor. The demonstrations are in protest against governor Soares' threat to sack public servants who do not support Indonesian rule in East Timor.

In East Java a series of killings have been reported, with up to one hundred murdered. The killings are said to have now spread to nearby Central Java. According to police the perpetrators dress in black, carry knives and target Muslim clerics and suspected black magic practitioners. The Indonesian army says it is reinforcing police efforts to stop the murders.

12 October '98
For many years Tempo was Indonesia's leading weekly news magazine. Tempo failed to practice any self-censorship and pointed its finger at the government one too many times, so Soeharto closed the magazine down in 1994. But this week the magazine was re-launched in Jakarta, hopefully ushering in a time of increased press freedom in Indonesia.

28 September '98
The Australian High Commission in Jakarta has advised travellers in Indonesia to keep themselves informed of political developments and to avoid large gatherings or demonstrations, which may have the potential to turn violent without warning. The political and economic situation in Indonesia remains unsettled, with many small-scale demonstrations in many parts of the country. Travellers should also be aware that there has been some increase in street crime in recent months. The situation in Bali is calm and services for tourists are operating normally. The High Commission strongly recommends medical and travel insurance.

9 September '98
Indonesia's national airline, Garuda, is undergoing a major restructure and plans to sell off several of its planes. The airline has suffered major financial losses this year and is considering many options for offsetting some of its losses. As well as the plane sale, the airline will also close a number of its international offices. Garuda now only operates only three flights to Europe, landing in London, Amsterdam and Frankfurt.

31 August '98
The National Air Carriers Association of Indonesia has announced a 40% increase in Indonesian domestic air fares. The increase in fares will hopefully offset some of the major losses incurred by the airlines as the rupiah continues to fall against the dollar. The new fares will only apply in economy class. As IndonesiaÆs second airline Merpati barely remains flying, the government is currently looking at the possibility of the national airline Garuda taking over the airline.

28 July '98
Lava continues to flow from the still active Mt. Merapi in central Java. The volcano started erupting on 19 July, but no further violent eruptions have been reported since then. An alert status remains in place for areas surrounding the volcano as lava and other volcanic material are flowing out of the volcano. In north Sulawesi, two more volcanoes have started rumbling. Mt Lokon and Mt Mahawu have both shown signs of activity over the past few days and authorities have declared the areas surrounding the volcanoes out of bounds.

15 July '98
Indonesia's national airline Garuda is looking at canceling all European flights as the country's economic crisis continues to place financial strain on the airline. Before the crisis, Garuda operated 10 European flights per week but has recently suspended six of these flights. The four remaining European flights operated by the airline are becoming increasingly costly as the rupiah falls against the US dollar. Airline officials may vote to cancel all long-haul flights and concentrate on regional flights only.

8 July '98
Indonesia's President Habibie has called on all Indonesians to fast twice a week, Monday and Thursday, in an effort to conserve the country's rapidly diminishing rice supplies. The request from the President comes as Indonesia is about to enter another critical economic phase that could send tens of millions of Indonesians below the poverty line. Indonesia currently imports more than 3 million tonnes of rice a year and the government fears Indonesia will not be able to afford the same amount this year.

10 June '98
One of IndonesiaÆs six airlines, Sempati Airlines, has been forced to suspend all air services. The airline has been suffering massive losses during the past few months as the Asian economic crisis continues to take its toll. The airline serves most of the major cities in Indonesia and had a growing international network including flights to Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, Perth, Singapore and Taipei. Airline officials have stated other Indonesian airlines will take on the Sempati Airlines routes.

13 May '98
Both the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the United States Department of State have issued a warning to travellers intending to visit Indonesia. Travellers are advised that a number of anti-government demonstrations in major Indonesian cities in the past week have resulted in violent riots, looting, and destruction of property. Several Indonesians have been killed and many injured during the riots. Although there are no indications that travellers are specifically as risk, intending travellers to Indonesia should keep themselves informed of developments as the demonstrations are expected to gain new momentum this week. Travellers should avoid the areas surrounding universities and higher education institutions, and should avoid large gatherings. Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Medan in Northern Sumatra and Bogor in West Java have been the sites of some of the worst violence. The situation in Bali remains relatively calm.

25 March '98
Minister Juwono Sudarsons, IndonesiaÆs new environment minister, has announced that putting out IndonesiaÆs recurring fires is his ministryÆs top priority. New fires in East Kalimantan, caused mainly by logging operations and farmers clearing their land, are again causing haze problems in the region. So far, 76,000 hectares (187,720 acres) of East Kalimantan's forest have been destroyed by the fires this year, causing considerable losses to the tourist economies of Thailand and Malaysia.

An outbreak of dengue fever has been reported in South Sumatra province. More than 125 people have died from the disease in the province this year. Travellers intending to visit this part of Indonesia are advised to take extra health precautions to keep dengue-carrying mosquitoes at bay; cover up exposed areas, and use a repellent containing DEET, even when you're inside.

18 March '98
According to a recent environmental study, fires in East Kalimantan that have been burning since January have destroyed more than 65,000 ha (160,550 acres) of forests. Currently there are 394 reported hot spots burning in the area. Travellers are advised that the cities of Balikpapan and Samarinda in East Kalimantan are covered by dense haze from the fires.

4 March '98
The Asian economic crisis has left Indonesia’s domestic airlines in danger of collapse, according to the Indonesian National Air Carriers Association. Hadi Soemarto, President of the NACA, says the depreciation of the rupiah has resulted in huge losses for Bouraq, DAS, Mandala and Sempati airlines, which are trying to find ways of postponing aircraft lease re-payments until the economy improves. The earnings of domestic airlines are in rupiah but their costs are based on US dollars. Government-owned airlines Garuda and Merpati were in no danger of collapse, according to Mr Soemarto.

The Indonesian government hopes to contain forest fires affecting 4000 hectares (9880 acres) in East Kalimantan using cloud-seeding operations begun last week. According to the Environment Minister, Mr Sarwano Kusumaatmadja, fires burning near plantations and settlements are now under control, but spontaneous combustion in arid secondary forests yet to recover from the massive fires of last year are still causing headaches for the authorities.

25 February '98
Social unrest continues in Indonesia after last week’s riots, in which thousands of people protested against rising food prices and five protesters were shot by police. Public gatherings have been banned in an effort to prevent further demonstrations. Rising prices have forced millions of Indonesians into poverty; the price of a container of milk has risen from 8000 rupiah to 50,000. The social and economic instability remains, as President Suharto hopes to fix the exchange rate to the US dollar against the wishes of the International Monetary Fund, which threatens to withdraw its US$43 billion rescue package.

The bushfires that flared up again in Indonesia have intensified over the past week. Now 895 fires are reported to be burning in East Kalimantan, nearly 600 more than this time last week. Nearly 24,000 hectares (59,280 acres) of Kutai National Park, Mt Suharto and the Pasir Regency of East Kalimantan province have been destroyed. The fires, lit by plantation companies, have caused orangutans and other animals to flee the forest, while park rangers battle the flames.

18 February '98
Riots broke out in a number of towns throughout Indonesia over the weekend. Mobs protesting inflated food prices and high unemployment have stormed the streets, looting and burning shops. The target of the violence has been mainly Chinese businesses, as Chinese-Indonesians have become a scapegoat for Indonesians angry about rising prices. Trouble spots include towns in East, Central and West Java, North Sumatra, South-east Sulawesi and West and East Nusa Tenggara. Troops have also shot dead two men in riots on Lombok and two more in Brebes in central Java.

Forest fires and brush fires have started burning again in Indonesia, threatening to continue the devastation begun by last year's fires. East Kalimantan and Borneo are the worst hit area in the latest series of fires, which are believed to number 300 separate blazes, predominantly deliberately lit. The situation has been intensified by the drought in Kalimantan, said to be a result of the El Niño effect, where it has not rained for three months.