Personal Safety and Situational Awareness During Ramadan in Jakarta

With the start of Ramadan, the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta would like to remind all U.S. citizens residing in, or traveling to Indonesia that over the course of this month, particularly during the days leading up to Idul-Fitri on July 6-7, 2016, the Embassy routinely receives reports of a noticeable spike in petty crime.

Please review the following reminders about personal security:

  • Do not flash money or jewelry in public, especially when you are alone.
  • After dark, travel with a group.
  • While walking, carry your bag on the side away from the street where “drive-by-bag-snatching” crimes are harder to commit.
  • Take only reputable taxis like Blue Bird, Silver Bird, and Express, and remember the taxi number in the event of an emergency. If possible, memorize and/or even take a picture of the driver’s taxi license, most often located in front of the passenger seat.
  • In the event of an incident while on board a taxi, remember the date/time, location, and the license plate number, so that you can report the incident to authorities.  Specific safety concerns should be addressed to Indonesian law enforcement authorities who are responsible for the safety of all visitors to Indonesia.

The U.S. Embassy would like to reiterate that the crime, political violence, and terrorism rating for Indonesia remains high and such incidents can occur anywhere and at any time. The recent nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida, serves as a reminder of the importance of good situational awareness while conducting personal activities in the vicinity of, but not limited, to malls, hotels, movie theatres, restaurants, and other venues.

For further information:

  • See the State Department’s travel website for the Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and Indonesia Country Specific Information.
  • Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
  • Contact the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta (http://jakarta.usembassy.gov/us-service.html), located at 5 Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan, Jakarta, at +62-21 3435-9055/9054, 07:30 a.m. to 04:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.  The after-hours emergency number for U.S. citizens is+62-21 3435 9000, then press 0 for the operator. The American Citizen Services Unit of the Embassy can also be reached by e-mail at JakartaACS@state.gov.
  • The U.S. Consulate General in Surabaya (http://surabaya.usconsulate.gov/service.html) is located at Jl. Citra Raya Niaga No. 2, Surabaya, at +62 31-297-5300, 07:30 a.m. to 04:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.  The after-hours emergency number for U.S. citizens is +62 81-133-4183.  The American Citizen Services Unit of the Consulate General can also be reached by e-mail at SurabayaACS@state.gov.Call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
  • Call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
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