Indonesia travel warning for aid workers

UPDATE - New Zealand and Australia have updated a travel warning for Indonesia, saying new information suggests terror attacks could be mounted against foreigners taking part in tsunami relief efforts in northern Sumatra.

New Zealanders should defer non-essential travel to Indonesia as a whole, including Bali, Batam and Bintan, and should avoid all travel to Aceh and northern Sumatra province, according to the travel advice issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Saturday. 

"Recent information suggests that terrorists may be planning attacks against foreigners involved in tsunami relief efforts in Aceh and other parts of northern Sumatra," the ministry said in a statement.

New Zealanders should not travel to Banda Aceh or other parts of Aceh to participate in humanitarian relief efforts unless "the aid organisation they work for has a robust security plan approved by the Indonesian authorities."

"We recommend that New Zealanders not covered by such arrangements, or more generally concerned for their security, leave the area immediately."

Former American presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush Snr were due to arrive in Banda Aceh late on Sunday as part of their four-nation tour of the tsunami affected areas.

Both former presidents were appointed by Washington to encourage private and corporate donations for the victims of the calamity, which already have exceeded US$2bn worldwide.

Indonesia and separatists in Aceh are due to begin a next round of peace talks on Monday in Helsinki, but analysts say a political stalemate over Jakarta's limited offer of autonomy for the tsunami-devastated region is unlikely to be broken.

Mfat said there was an ongoing serious risk of terrorist attacks in Indoneisa. It said recent reports suggest terrorist in the region are planning attacks against a range of targets, these attacks could occur at any time.

Australia was issued an identical travel warning. Australia has about 1,000 military personnel in Indonesia as part of the aid effort following the December 26 tsunami that left 240,000 dead or listed as missing.

A suicide bomber killed 10 people in an attack outside the Australian embassy in Jakarta last September.

- REUTERS and HERALD