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Indonesia urged to anticipate the worst as Hong Kong becomes paralyzed by protests
Experts have flagged the possibility of more disruption in Hong Kong, which may have repercussions for Indonesian visitors, workers and businesses operating in the city.
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Prodemocracy protesters holds placards against police brutality and the controversial extradition bill at Hong Kong's international airport on Aug. 12. Hong Kong airport authorities cancelled all remaining departing and arriving flights at the major travel hub on Aug. 12, after thousands of protesters entered the arrivals hall to stage a demonstration.
(AFP/Manan Vatsyayana )
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ndonesia is being urged to prepare a contingency plan to anticipate any threat to the security of its citizens and businesses in Hong Kong, as the city grapples with an increasing wave of demonstrations that came to a head on Monday, when protesters paralyzed operations at the international airport and left hundreds of travelers stranded.
Among those left without the means to return home is the National Games (PON) swimming team from Jakarta -- comprising 15 athletes, six coaches and a team manager -- which had just participated in the Hong Kong Open Swimming Championship over the weekend.
The team was due to return to Jakarta with a Cathay Pacific flight on Monday evening, but was left stranded after the authorities decided to halt operations as a result of protesters occupying the airport. One of the coaches, Felix C. Sutanto, said the situation was very chaotic and all flight schedules were called off.
“We had not heard any information from Cathay about the schedule tomorrow. Fortunately officials from the consulate’s office are going to come to us and supply some food because all stores in the airport are closed,” he told The Jakarta Post on Monday evening.
The Indonesian Consulate in Hong Kong issued Monday an advisory urging Indonesian citizens planning to leave Hong Kong to confirm their travel arrangements with the airlines and agencies and immediately seek out temporary accommodation in the city until there is confirmation on the resumption of flights.
“Because transportation from the airport to [the city] is currently experiencing disruption, Indonesians who are at the airport are advised to remain calm and wait until transport [operations] are running again, queue in an orderly manner for transportation to the city and refrain from joining or convening near the protests," the consulate general stated.
Hong Kong airport authorities canceled all remaining flights on Monday after protesters swarmed the main terminal building for a fourth day, part of a wave of demonstrations against the city administration that began in early June. Sparked by plans to pass a bill easing extradition to mainland China, the protests have since evolved to highlight other grievances in one of the world’s most densely crowded cities.
