The Jakarta Post, 4/26/2004 10:51:53 PM
U.S. advises citizens to defer travel to Ambon
WASHINGTON (AFP): The United States has advised citizens to defer all travel to the
eastern Indonesian city of Ambon in Maluku province where fresh violence was
reported at the weekend.
According to a travel notice update made available by the U.S. State Department on
Monday, American citizens residing in Ambon have also been told to consider leaving
the province, where 23 people died and 200 homes were torched in an outbreak of
Christian-Muslim violence.
Recent press reports indicate that the violence has not yet subsided, the travel
advisory said.
"The U.S. Department of State strongly advises all American citizens to defer all travel
to Ambon until the situation improves," it said. "In addition, American citizens residing
in Ambon may want to consider leaving the province.
The notice had updated a March 19 advisory that sectarian, ethnic, communal and
separatist strife and violence would threaten personal safety and security in various
areas, including Maluku, North Maluku, Sulawesi, Papua and West Timor."
Hundreds of Indonesian troops and police appeared to have regained control of Ambon
on Monday after battles flared following a parade by Christian separatists.
The violence was the worst since a pact in February 2002 ended three years of
sectarian fighting in which some 5,000 people died.
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