Derwin Pereira, Jakarta – The US, "deeply disappointed" by the failure of the Indonesian authorities to act against intimidation by hardline Muslim militants, has told Americans to consider leaving the country.
US Ambassador Robert Gelbard said the move was taken owing to "increasing deterioration in the security environment regarding Americans". "We have been deeply disappointed by the failure of police to act. I've met the police a number of times but they have shown reluctance to act," he told reporters.
Extremist Islamic groups here threatened to round up and attack Americans if Washington launches strikes against Afghanistan or other Islamic nations. More than 1,000 protesters burned US flags and an effigy of President George W. Bush outside the US Embassy yesterday as some of its diplomats prepared to leave the country. They were joined by staff from some US companies and multinationals like BP, Goodyear, Nike and Vico, dealing a potential blow to US-Indonesia ties after President Megawati Sukarnoputri's recent Washington visit.
The US State Department said on Wednesday that it was allowing "non-essential" diplomats in Indonesia to leave and, for the third time in a week, warned its citizens against travelling there. It had warned last month that extremist elements might be planning attacks on US interests and the 10,000 Americans in Indonesia.
But sources told The Straits Times the latest notice was "not based just on short-term security concerns". "The US is making a profound political statement that the Indonesians need to get their act together and not let murderers run loose on the streets," said a Western diplomat.
Mr Gelbard yesterday met Indonesian security czar Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Jakarta police chief Sofyan Jacoeb. Speaking to reporters later, he said: "They have been good in terms of their defensive measures, for example, when there's a demonstration at the US Embassy. But they have not been prepared to act to warn or to arrest people who break the law when there are sweeps, when there are threats against the lives of Americans or when there are other actions which clearly violate the law."
The Straits Times understands that the US Embassy had identified about 10 extremist groups that issued threats or conducted sweeps for American nationals over the past two weeks. Some like the Islamic Youth Movement have even threatened to kill Mr Gelbard if Washington attacked Afghanistan.
The police maintained that they were doing their best to keep these groups under control and would act "only if the situation is serious".
A two-star police general explained: "We can't be seen to be cracking down on these Muslim groups because there will be a backlash. We will act only if they commit acts of violence against Gelbard and Americans. The US should not exaggerate the problem. These groups are only engaging in psychological warfare."