Emergency Message: Notice Regarding Unrest in Ambon

December 15, 2011

This is an emergency message for U.S. citizens planning travel to or currently located in Ambon, Indonesia.  As a result of recent unrest and violence, the Department of State advises all U.S. citizens to avoid Ambon until at least 31 January 2012.  

We remind U.S. citizens to exercise prudence and to continue to take active, personal responsibility for their security.  We strongly suggest that U.S. citizens monitor news reports, follow the instructions of Indonesian authorities, and avoid demonstrations.  We also remind U.S. citizens that even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and possibly escalate into violence without warning. 

U.S. citizens living and traveling in Indonesia are urged to register and update their contact information with the U.S. Embassy Jakarta, U.S. Consulate General Surabaya, U.S. Consulate Medan or U.S. Consular Agency Bali.  Registration facilitates the U.S. Mission’s contact with U.S. citizens in emergencies, and may be done online and in advance of travel.  Information on registering can be found at the U.S. Department of State’s Consular Affairs website at http://travelregistration.state.gov and at the Embassy’s website at http://jakarta.usembassy.gov, where you can also find recent Embassy messages to public.

For the latest security information, U.S. citizens living and traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department of State’s Consular Affairs website at http://travel.state.gov, where the current Worldwide Caution, Travel Alerts, Travel Warnings and health-information resources can be found.  Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S. and Canada, or, for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.  These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

U.S. Embassy Jakarta is located at Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan No. 4-5, Jakarta; the 24-hour switchboard telephone number is 62-21-3435-9000.  The telephone number of U.S. Consulate General Surabaya is 62-31-295-6400; U.S. Consulate Medan is 62-61-415-2200; U.S. Consular Agency Bali is 62-361-233-605.