>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2000 00:57:11 EST >Sunday, 29 October, 2000, 17:06 GMT >Americans warned to leave Indonesia > >Protests have already targeted US interests > >By Jakarta correspondent Richard Galpin >Radical Muslim groups in Indonesia have been searching hotels in one of the >main cities for American citizens, giving them an ultimatum to leave the area >within 48 hours. > >Several Americans who were staying in the city of Solo have already left. > >Hostility towards the United States has been rising in Indonesia in recent >weeks, in part because of Washington's policies in the Middle East, but also >because of a public row between the Indonesian Government and the American >embassy in Jakarta. > > > >There is strong anti-Israeli feeling in Muslim Indonesia > >In Solo, the manager of one of the main hotels told the BBC that about 100 >young Muslims wearing green uniforms had entered on Sunday morning. > >They demanded to know if there were any Americans staying there. > >Claiming to be from an organisation called the Hizbul army, they warned that >all American citizens would have to leave the city within 48 hours. > >Anti-American feeling > >They departed peacefully but went on to check the other hotels. > >Several American businessmen have now left the city. It is not clear if they >have remained within Indonesia or gone to Singapore. > >This is the first incident of its kind but anti-American sentiment has been >rising. > >Indonesia is the world's largest Muslim country and there is much anger at >the perceived bias of Washington towards Israel in the current Middle East >crisis. > >There have been many demonstrations in Jakarta, and last week the American >embassy closed its consular and visa sections because of threats. > >Jakarta protests > >Senior government ministers are also angry with the current ambassador, >Robert Gelbard. They have accused him of trying to influence the appointment >of members of the cabinet and top military officials. > >The defence minister also recently accused an American tourist of spying >whilst in the province of Irian Jaya, where demands for independence have >been mounting. > >The embassy has issued several curt press releases denying all these charges >categorically. > >All American citizens in Indonesia have now been told to take extra security >measures. BBC _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi _______________________________________________________ Kominform list for general information. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Anti-Imperialism list for anti-imperialist news. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________________
