Have been offered to go for a day or two for a work meeting in a couple of weeks. Should I go? I know there is a State dept warning. Anyone there who has a feel of the city?

Indonesia is fine for traveling. Never been in Jakarta but heard some big city problems there, crime, poverty, etc. If you watch your steps as you do in other big cities, you will be fine too.

As for Americans traveling in Indonesia, a heat discussion has been going on for a few days in LP forum for exactly this subject. You might want to take a look there as well.

I have been to Jakarta. It does have the problems of a big city - especially traffic and air pollution. (much worse than Bangkok!) Nonetheless, it's an interesting and exciting city. I'm headed for Indonesia later this year. While I do keep an eye on the news, I have no reason to believe that it is more dangerous than any other part of the world right now.

By the way, Jakarta has wonderful shopping for Indonesian crafts.

this is what the us state department has posted on its web site regarding travel to indonesia:

August 28, 2003

This Travel Warning is being issued to update security threat information for Indonesia. The August 5, 2003, bombing at the Marriott Hotel in Jakarta reminds U.S. citizens of ongoing terrorist threats in Indonesia. The Department of State continues to recommend that U.S. citizens defer all non-essential travel to Indonesia. This supersedes the August 8, 2003, Travel Warning for Indonesia.

The potential remains throughout Indonesia for violence and terrorist actions against U.S. citizens and interests; the Marriott Hotel in Jakarta on August 5, 2003 and a tourist area of Bali on October 12, 2002, were the scenes of major terrorist attacks. U.S. citizens were injured or killed in both of these incidents. The Jemaah Islamiyah organization, designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, is an extremist group known to have cells operating in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, and is known to have connections with Al-Qaeda. The terrorist attacks in Jakarta and Bali, which took place in areas with large numbers of foreign tourists, clearly indicate that a security threat extends to private American citizens. The U.S. Government believes extremist elements may be planning additional attacks targeting U.S. interests in Indonesia, particularly U.S. Government officials and facilities. As security is increased at official U.S. facilities, terrorists will seek softer targets. These may include facilities where Americans and Westerners are known to live, congregate, shop, or visit, especially hotels, clubs, restaurants, shopping centers, housing compounds, transportation systems, places of worship, schools, or outdoor recreation events. Throughout Indonesia, bombings have been an ongoing problem over the past two and a half years and have struck religious, political, and business targets. In April 2003, the Jakarta international airport was bombed. Americans should avoid political demonstrations, which have the potential to turn violent.

On May 19, 2003, the Indonesian government declared martial law in Aceh and launched significant military operations in response to the ongoing separatist conflict between the Indonesian military and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). The Indonesian government has warned all foreigners to leave Aceh and gave notice that this conflict could result in terrorist attacks throughout Indonesia, particularly in urban areas where security forces are on a higher state of alert. Because of the hostilities, at least one foreigner was killed and one wounded by security forces. American citizens are strongly urged to avoid traveling to Aceh, and those already present should leave immediately.

There is a risk of kidnappings by the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group in the border areas of Indonesia near Malaysia and the Philippines. The Abu Sayyaf has previously carried out kidnappings in Malaysia and the Philippines, and the group has the operational capability to do so in Indonesia, also.

In addition to terrorism, there is potential for violence and unrest; both can erupt without warning. Sectarian, ethnic, communal (inter-intra group) and separatist strife, and violence are ongoing threats to personal safety and security in various areas, including Maluku, North Maluku, Sulawesi, Papua and West Timor. Papua?s separatist conflict can become violent. In August 2002, two U.S. citizens were killed near Timika in circumstances that have raised suspicions of official involvement.

Americans who travel to or reside in Indonesia despite this Travel Warning should keep a low profile, varying times and routes for all required travel, remaining acutely aware of their immediate environment. The U.S. Mission in Indonesia may occasionally suspend service to the public, or close, because of security concerns. In these situations, the Embassy and Consulate will continue to provide emergency services to American citizens.

Information on travel and security in Indonesia may be obtained from the Department of State by calling 1-888-407-4747 within the United States; from overseas, call 1-317-472-2328. The U.S. Embassy in Jakarta can be contacted by phone at (62)(21) 3435-9000, the Consulate General in Surabaya?s number is (62) (31) 568-2287, and the Consular Agency in Bali?s number is (62) (361) 233-605.
U.S. citizens should also read the Department of State?s Consular Information Sheet for Indonesia and the Worldwide Caution Public Announcement. All are available on the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, website, http://travel.state.gov.

The US State Department warnings are generally very much on the conservative side. Read some of them for other countries which you know well and you will get an idea; or read their consular information sheet on the UK and France, two countries that most people would consider very safe and you may see some comments which will surprise you.

That being said, according to my friends and colleagues who have traveled there in the past few months, you will feel some tension while you are there, esp. in places where non-Indonesians congregate and at airports. (I have not been there myself in about 2 years.) The upside of this is that security will be good and tight in many places (and was in fact tight at the JW Marriott, which is why the truck bomb was detonated near the bottom on the street and not in the entrance to the hotel as security personnel approached the van; and FYI, it is believed that the target of that bomb was a US embassy office in the adjacent building and not the hotel itself.)

A final note is that Jakarta is a very long way to go for a 2 day meeting. Where are you coming from? Is there any other way you could participate, by teleconference for example? To fly all the way to Indonesia for a 2 day meeting seems a bit excessive, it will take you almost that long to get there and back from the US. If you are already in Asia, ask your friends and colleagues their opinion on this.

My husband (US citizen) travels to Jakarta on business about every other month (including the week after the Marriott bombing). He does not feel uncomfortable there, but recommends just a bit of extra caution. Use a private car service, not taxis off the street. Stay at one of the large chain hotels (Hyatt, Regent, Shangri-La) that have buttoned up their security quite tightly.
As Cicerone quite rightly points out, if you went strictly by the very conservative State Dept reports, you would not feel safe traveling anywhere!!

When I went to Indonesia a couple of years ago, I checked the Australian equivalent of the State Department for thier travel warnings. I figured their geographic proximity coupled with a less litigious society, likely leads to travel warnings that are a bit more accurate and less conservative (without cause.)

I am an American living in Jakarta. Like the U.S., Indonesia has been hit by terrible terrorist attacks, but also like the U.S. daily life goes on for millions of people. Although no place on earth is 100% safe these days, you are reasonably safe in Jakarta. Actually, compared to a American city the incidence of violent crime is fairly low. Stay at a four star hotel, don't take taxis, avoid any large gatherings, use common sense with alcohol and you'll be fine. Jakarta is not a tourist destination -- it's a big, dirty, crowded city -- but Indonesia is a wonderful country with a fascinating culture and warm and hospitable people.

The Australian travel advisory appears scarcely less alarmist than the US one - follow the links from www.dfat.gov.au. Perhaps not surprising given our government's decision to outsource its foreign policy formulation to Washington as an economy measure.

An extract:

"The recommendation that Australians defer non-essential travel applies to Indonesia as a whole. We advise Australians to avoid all travel to Aceh, and those in Aceh are advised to depart. We further advise Australians to read carefully the sections below on travel to west Timor, Maluku and North Maluku, North, South and Central Sulawesi, and Papua. There remains a potential risk to foreigners of kidnapping in areas close to the Philippines, such as the outlying islands of North Sulawesi, and the border regions of Kalimantan.

"We also caution about 'sweeping' operations (raids) by militant Islamic groups against bars, nightclubs and other public places which might seek to identify Australians. Australians should take particular care to avoid public demonstrations.

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Also, while we're probably still a less litigious society than the US, don't worry - we're catching up fast, and probably for the same reason, too many lawyers chasing too few clients.

End grouch.