Canada drops travel warning, Inco mining area declared safe

The Canadian government has withdrawn its recent travel warning on Indonesia particularly South Sulawesi as security condition in the area is now deemed conducive, the Neraca daily reported on Monday.

"The travel warning has been withdrawn since (Saturday)," said James K. Gowans, senior vice president of nickel mining company PT Inco on Sunday, on the sidelines of the 2004 Combat Survival Exercise held at the company's Soroako mining site. The event was held by the Makassar Airforce Command.

Gowans is among of dozens of foreigners who received terror threat via mobil phone text message system and letter. This has prompted the Canadian government to issue a travel advisory, warning its citizens not to travel to Indonesia particularly South Sulawesi. Some 80 foreign staffs of Inco had to leave the mining site.

It turned out that the terror was made by a local dentist working at Inco. The police had captured the dentist.

Gowans said that the situation at Inco is now conducive, and that the company's foreign staffs from Canada and other countries have all returned to the mining site.

"The situation is now safe. All foreign workers have returned to Soroako (mine site)," he said.

Meanwhile, Inco president Bing Tobing said that the recent terror threat had not disrupted the company's production.(*)