Transcript

COMPERE: Well in Indonesia there've also been protest rallies against the Unites States and its allies and an estimated 8000 Australian living or holidaying in Indonesia have been strongly advised to stay at home.

Although the Indonesian Government has promised to protest foreigners in the world's largest Muslim nation, mall but hardline Islamic groups have warned that they'll attack US interests and their citizens unless Jakarta cuts diplomatic ties with Washington.

One group has warned the moderate government of President Megawati Sukarnoputri to expel diplomats from the United States and its allies as well as all their citizens in Indonesia. Our Indonesian correspondent Mark Bowling has just spoken to Australia's Ambassador in Jakarta Rick Smith about the growing threats.

RICK SMITH: Our advice to Australians in Indonesia tody has been to stay at home. Keep indoors, keep their heads down. If they simply have to go out, then be very careful. Keep in touch with what's going on in the neighbourhood. Keep away from those places where we know demonstrations most commonly happen.

MARK BOWLING: What about Australians who might be thinking about coming to Indonesia at this time?

RICK SMITH: The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has put out advice saying that people coming to Indonesia on holidays or for normal business travel should be consider deferring the travel and that's consistent with our advice to Australians here to remain indoors.

MARK BOWLING: What's your assessment then of the situation on the street?

RICK SMITH: Quiet so far, but we're hearing that there could be demonstrations this afternoon, so we're alert to that.

MARK BOWLING: One of the hardline groups, the Islamic Defenders Front has said it will try and force all US Embassy personnel and other diplomats out of the country if Jakarta doesn't cut off relations with the US and it allies. Are you taking that sort of a risk seriously yourself?

RICK SMITH: You can't dismiss groups you've got to take them into account. It's heartening though that the Indonesian Government, several ministers last week said explicitly that that sort of activity won't be tolerated and we were encouraged this morning by the presence of security forces around the town to suggest that they are going to be prepared to respond to that. Nevertheless we've got to be alert to them.

MARK BOWLING: That same group, the Islamic Defenders Front, is saying that they will attack US installations. They have targets, they say, in Jakarta and other parts of Indonesia. Is that also a risk? Do you think that Australia could be involved as well as a target?

RICK SMITH: They know that we're part of the Coalition -- the alliance group with the United States and of course, Australians can be mistaken for Americans and that's all a very good part of the reason for the great caution that we're exercising at this time.

MARK BOWLING: At what point do you say to Australians "it's time to go?"

RICK SMITH: If there develops a situation where demonstrations turn into prolonged civil unrest and we're not confident that the authorities are in control of that then that's when we start to consider the next steps. But we're nowhere near that at this time.

MARK BOWLING: But in a sense that could happen any hour or any day?

RICK SMITH: It could and that's why we're watching it so closely.

MARK BOWLING: How would you describe the footing now compared to May 98 which of course is when Saharto fell and when tens of thousands of foreigners evacuated from Indonesia?

RICK SMITH: By that time there were of course thousands of people on the streets and were in that conflict with the security forces. That hasn't happened at this time. I suspect as well frankly that that was a more broadly based movement then. But you know, as I keep saying we're not complacent about this.

COMPERE: Australia's Ambassador to Indonesia Rick Smith talking to our correspondent Mark Bowling.