Current Security SituationDespite recent
security warnings about Indonesia, the situation in Yogyakarta, where ACICIS students
pursue their studies at host universities, is still safe and calm.
During emergency situations, ACICIS follows an agreed risk management strategy.
The Resident Director (RD) is in constant contact with students and they are advised
to maintain maximum caution and refrain from travelling to places that have been
deemed unsafe. The RD is always on call, available to any students wishing to
speak with him at any time. Unusual
volcanic activity at Mount Merapi, north of Yogya, has been monitored closely
by ACICIS staff in Australia and Indonesia, and students are being kept up to
date about its status. Despite warnings being reduced to alert level, Mount Merapi
and its surrounding areas are off-limits for ACICIS students until further notice.
Despite ongoing incidents, ACICIS policy remains that the program continues to
operate but if any student wishes to leave, they are free to do so. The RD will
regularly update students on the overall security situation in Indonesia, outlining
the implications and the options open to them. From their
arrival in Indonesia, students are registered with the Australian Embassy and
are informed when Australian Government travel advisories are reviewed with new
safety and security information. They are instructed to maintain the highest possible
level of personal security at all times. The RD liaises closely
with the host university staff to ensure there is a high level of appreciation
on the importance of security at all times. There have never been any reports
of ACICIS students in Indonesia being unduly targeted or suffering increased harassment.
The mood at the host universities and the communities within which the students
reside continues to be calm and welcoming. Professor David
Hill ACICIS Consortium Director
April 2008
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