Introduction

The purpose of this note is to provide prospective residents of the Bogor/Jakarta area with an overview of the personal security situation. Perceptions about security matters vary among individuals and the following comments are intended to represent the consensus view of CIFOR’s management group.

This overview relies upon the advice received from professional security consulting firms who provide CIFOR with regular assessments of past and anticipated events. They are also positioned to offer security advice to CIFOR staff and visitors planning trips to other parts of the country.

Crime

The level of crime is not high by international standards. There is no doubt that crime has increased since the economic crisis began in 1997 but experts believe that the level actually stabilized in the second half of 1999 and has remained constant since. The Jakarta/Bogor area would not be considered a dangerous place to live if one takes normal precautions.

Communal Violence

The international media gives attention to the serious ethnic and religious strife in various parts of Indonesia. However, it should be noted that most of these events do not occur in the Bogor/Jakarta areas and thus do not represent a threat to CIFOR staff in the course of their day-to-day activities. The dramatic events in Jakarta leading to the downfall of Soeharto, and the immediate aftermath, were unusual in the recent history of Jakarta and Bogor.

Jakarta is a city of over 12 million people with many residents living in difficult conditions. Therefore, there are societal tensions which may manifest themselves in localized (i.e. neighbourhood) rioting and student brawls usually in less well-off sections of the city. Foreigners are not the targets of such events and can avoid them without too much difficulty. Bogor is much less susceptible to such events.

Terrorism

Indonesia has experienced a number of terrorist attacks since the late 1990’s, most often involving bombs directed at perceived icons of foreign influence. Most of the targets were located in Jakarta and Bali. The security apparatus has made great strides since 2002 in eliminating terrorist cells and preventing further attacks. However, the risk remains and further attempts can be anticipated. Various embassies have issued security alerts related to this risk with travel restrictions often recommended. Visitors to CIFOR should consult these security alerts. It should be noted that most expatriates living in Indonesia believe that the security alerts overstate the real risk to visitors and residents. The nature of CIFOR;s mission and Bogor location suggests that it is not likely to be a target. CIFOR consults regularly with security professionals and will seek specific advice when requested. Any questions or concerns should be directed to the Deputy Director General Corporate Services or the Manager Human Resources.