STAFFDEL BLANK VISIT TO INDONESIA COUNTRY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 JAKARTA 000606 SIPDIS DEPT FOR H, RM/F/DFS/FO/AA/CAA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AFIN AMGT ASEC FR ID OREP SUBJECT: STAFFDEL BLANK VISIT TO INDONESIA COUNTRY CLEARANCE APPROVAL (APRIL 4-19) REF: STATE 32276 ¶1. Embassy Jakarta welcomes Professional Staff Member, Mr.Jonah Blank Professional Staff Member (PSM) to travel to Indonesia from April 4-19, 2009. The only member of the delegation is as follows: Mr. Jonah Blank, PSM, Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate. ¶2. Point of contact for this visit is Economic Officer Pablo Valdez. He can be contacted at: - Office tel: (62-21) 3435-9070 - Office fax: (62-21) 3435-9971 - Home tel: (62-21) 7179-0653 - Email: valdezpm2@state.gov - Cell phone: (62) 811 1155 0106 ¶3. Hotel reservations have been made at several hotels including the Novotel in Balikpapan (April 5) with confirmation number 904050523 and hotel telephone number (62-542) 820 820; Lesan Research Station (April 6-7) with Emboff contact Ted Saeger (62-21) 811-811-5849; Hotel Bumi Sega (April 10) in Tanjung Redeb with Emboff contact Ted Saeger (62-21) 811-811-5849; Grand Hyatt hotel (April 9) in Jakarta and the confirmation number is: 24632301 and hotel telephone number: (62-21)390-1234; Sintesa Hotel in Manadao April 14-17 with hotel telephone number (62-431) 855 008. Some of these hotels may change based on input from Mr. Blank. Per Mr. Blank's specific request, no travel arrangements are being made for his itinerary in Aceh (Apr 10-13). Post remains prepared to provide any support Mr. Blank needs while in Aceh. Medan Principal Officer Sean Stein is prepared to provide any necessary assistance on the ground. ¶4. All official travelers to Indonesia are encouraged to travel on a diplomatic or official passport (with at least six months validity remaining) and must be in possession of a valid visa issued at an Indonesian embassy or consulate abroad. Indonesia does not allow American citizens whose passports, regardless of type, have less than six months validity on the day of entry. There are no exceptions to this policy. Travelers arriving without a valid visa may purchase a Visa on Arrival at major international airports for USD 10.00 for a seven-day validity or USD 25.00 for a thirty-day validity. Payment must be made with the exact fee in U.S. dollars and there are no currency exchange facilities at the visa counters. Holders of diplomatic and official passports are not exempt from Visa on Arrival fees. Indonesian regulations state that upon expiration of the 7-day or 30-day visa, travelers must/must depart Indonesia; the visa cannot be renewed. Post strongly encourages all TDY travelers to obtain visas in advance to avoid problems in case travel plans change unexpectedly. There are no Visa on Arrival facilities at any land border entry points. ¶5. All air travelers from Jakarta are subject to a departure tax of Rupiah 30,000 (approx. USD 3.00) for domestic flights and Rupiah 100,000 (approximately USD 10.00) for international flights. This must be paid in local currency at the check-in desk. It may not be paid in U.S. dollars. ¶6. For transportation from the airport into Jakarta, Embassy motorpool services will be avaialble. If a taxi is used the Embassy recommends the use of Silver or Blue Bird taxis. Currency exchange facilities are available near the baggage claim area. Silver Bird taxis queue outside both the domestic and international arrival halls; the metered fare, including airport fees and tolls, from the airport to central Jakarta is approximately Rupiah 100,000-160,000 (approx. USD 10.00-16.00). ¶7. Threat Assessment: Security Threat Information Several terrorist attacks have occurred in Indonesia, including the most recent bombing at two beachfront restaurants in Bali in October 2005 that resulted in the deaths of 20 people. Since 2005, the Indonesian police and security forces have disrupted a number of cells and arrested approximately 400 suspects linked with Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), a U.S. Department of State-designated terrorist organization. While Indonesia's counterterrorism efforts have had significant results, the threat remains. As with most parts of the world, a terrorist attack could occur with little or no warning. JI networks and cells may remain intact and could have the capacity to go operational with little warning. Even though the Department recently lifted the Travel JAKARTA 00000606 002 OF 003 Warning, there remains a continued threat of terrorist attacks, demonstrations and other violent actions that may affect U.S. citizens in Indonesia. Extremists may target both official and private interests. Examples of such targets include high-profile sporting events, residential areas, business offices, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, schools, public areas, and locales where Americans or foreigners gather in large numbers. The Department of State urges Americans in Indonesia to avoid crowds, maintain a low profile, and be vigilant about security at all times. Americans are advised to monitor local news broadcasts, vary their routes and times in carrying out daily activities, and consider the level of preventive security when visiting public places in Indonesia. Americans vacationing in Indonesia are advised to consider the level of preventive security when choosing hotels, restaurants, beaches, entertainment venues, and recreation sites. The U.S. Mission in Indonesia must approve U.S. government employees' travel to the province of Papua, and travelers to that region must also obtain the approval of the Indonesian government. Based on recent conversations with Mr. Blank, he does not plan to travel to Papua Even though other areas of Indonesia are not under official U.S. government travel restrictions, the U.S. Mission requests that official U.S. government employees inform the Regional Security Officer of their intent to travel to the provinces of Banda Aceh, Central Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua. CRIME: Crime can be a problem in some major metropolitan areas in Indonesia. Crimes of opportunity such as pick-pocketing and theft occur throughout the country. Americans in Jakarta and Surabaya are advised to hire a taxi either from a major hotel queue or by calling a reputable taxi company such as Silver Bird or Blue Bird, rather than hailing one on the street. Americans arriving at Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Jakarta should only use Silver Bird or Blue Bird taxis obtained at a designated taxi queue. Airport touts should not be used. Criminals in Jakarta regularly rob customers in taxis painted to look like taxis from reputable companies; booking taxis by telephone directly from the company is the best way to avoid falling victim to this crime. Claiming to act in the name of religious or moral standards, certain extremist groups have, on occasion, attacked nightspots and places of entertainment. Most of these attacks have sought to destroy property rather than to injure individuals. International news events can sometimes trigger anti-American or anti-Western demonstrations. Credit card fraud and theft is a serious and growing problem in Indonesia, particularly for Westerners. Travelers should minimize use of credit cards or use cash. If used, credit card numbers should be closely safeguarded at all times. There have been many reports of shop, restaurant and hotel staff writing down the credit card numbers of customers and then making purchases using the credit card number after the consumer has departed the retail location. Travelers who decide to use credit cards should monitor their credit card activity carefully and immediately report any unauthorized use to their financial institution. U.S. citizens are encouraged to carry a copy of their U.S. passports with them at all times, so that if questioned by local officials, proof of identity and proof of U.S. citizenship are readily available. When U.S. citizens are arrested or detained, formal notfication of the arrest is normally provided to te U.S. Embassy in Jakarta in writing, a process hat can take several weeks". If detained, U.S. ciizens should telephone the nearest U.S.consular ofice immediately. "Drink-spiking" incidents hav been of increasing concern in the past months, argeting males in clubs and nightspots. The effets of this drug, believed to be an animal tranquilzer, are extremely powerful. Besides putting thevictim in an unconscious state for a long period f time, the side effects include memory loss, nasea,headaches and vomiting. Although these incidnts involve male victims it is important to remeber that females have been victimized in the past ith "Date-Rape" drugs. ¶8. The Embassy strictlycontrols the entry of laptop computers, personaldigital assistants (PDAs),and other electronic evices into Embassy facilities. ease advise the make/model, n*d serial number or other control number to yourssponsoring office at post so they may alert the Rei(onal Security Office. Personally owned or unapproved USG JAKARTA 00000606 003 OF 003 equipment may not enter the controlled access areas. ¶9. ICASS Policy: Each visitor, regardless of length of stay, must bring/forward fiscal data to pay for direct costs of the visit. Each agency, organization, or visiting delegation will be charged for the actual costs attributed to their visit. For TDYers over thirty (30) days, there is a charge for ICASS support services. If your sponsoring agency is not signed up for ICASS services at post, please be prepared to sign an MOU for ICASS support services upon arrival. The agency should provide post with a written communication, generated by the traveler's headquarters, thatconfirms the agency will pay ICASS charges for the TDYer, provides the agency ICASS billing code that TDY support charges should be applied to, and authorizes the traveler to sign the ICASS invoice generated by the TDY module. To request use of Mission services upon arrival at post, TDY personnel must complete and sign the form "Application and Approval for Use of U.S. Mission Services," attach their travel orders, and submit it to the Management Counselor for approval. TDY visitors will not have access to Mission services, including the Commissary, until the form is Completed. ¶10. Medical: ¶A. The Embassy in Jakarta operates a Health Unit that is accessible to personnel who have a current Class 1 or 2 medical clearance issued by State MED. Military personnel whose agencies have signed an ICASS agreement also have access. ¶B. TDYers who are federal employees and who have been on TDY travel outside of CONUS for less than 60 days in a calendar year may use the health unit for up to 60 days without a medical clearance. Those traveling on government orders for more than 60 days per year should obtain medical clearance before coming to post. Without a clearance, health unit access will be denied. ¶C. All visitors should have adequate medical insurance and especially Medical Evacuation Insurance. Direct-hire State Department employees are already covered for medical evacuation. Contractors should make sure that their private medical insurance covers medical evacuation costs. Medical care in Indonesia is such that employees are frequently evacuated to Singapore for care. ¶D. Bring copies of all medical and immunization records and update immunizations prior to arrival, including Typhoid, Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B. Bring an adequate supply of prescription medications. For travel to some areas outside Jakarta, malaria prophylaxis should be started before arrival. HUME