U.S. embassy criticized over barbed wire block<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso and City Council Speaker Edy
\nWaluyo strongly criticized the U.S. Embassy on Monday for placing
\nbarbed wire barricades along the southern side of Jl. Merdeka
\nSelatan in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso and Edy said the placement of the barricades had
\nobstructed use of the public road and had disturbed many
\nmotorists.<\/p>\n
They asked embassy officials to remove all of the barricades
\nfrom the street. The 1-meter-wide triangular barricades line the
\nstreet in front of the embassy compound.<\/p>\n
The four-lane road is also home to the offices of the governor
\nand city council speaker. The Vice President's office separates
\ntheir offices from the U.S. Embassy.<\/p>\n
According to Sutiyoso, he will send an official letter to the
\nembassy requesting its staff remove the barricades, saying they
\ninterfere with motorists using the street.<\/p>\n
\"I understand that we should be always on alert as street
\nrallies or demonstration happen in the city almost every day. But
\nthey (the U.S. Embassy) have overreacted,\" the governor said.<\/p>\n
Edy said that unauthorized parties, including embassies, could
\nnot place barricades wherever they liked, although he
\nacknowledged the embassy may have received several threats.<\/p>\n
\"The American Embassy placed the things on the road, which is
\na public facility. They should have considered that these
\nbarricades would disturb the comfort of other people, mainly
\ndrivers and passersby,\" the councilor said.<\/p>\n
Edy gave his support to the governor's plan to send an
\nofficial letter to the embassy requesting the removal of the
\nbarbed wire fences.<\/p>\n
\"Such action is needed so that all parties respect the
\nexisting regulation,\" he said.<\/p>\n
When asked to comment on Sutiyoso's and Edy's objections, the
\nembassy's press attache, Craig J. Stromme, told The Jakarta Post
\nthe barricade placement was for the security of the embassy,
\nwhich had recently undergone renovations to the front of the
\nbuilding.<\/p>\n
Stromme did not elaborate, saying: \"We have no comment on the
\nmatter as we haven't received the governor's objection.\"<\/p>\n
According to Sutiyoso, he had known of the barricades for
\nquite a long time, as he often passes the embassy.<\/p>\n
\"At first I thought the fences were placed during the
\nrenovation works. But why should they still let the fences occupy
\nthe street after the works have been completed?\" the governor
\nasked.<\/p>\n
Referring to the construction of fences at high-rise buildings
\nout of fear of unrest prior to the upcoming elections, Sutiyoso
\nsaid he would tolerate this even though it breached a 1988 city
\nbylaw, which stipulates that fences should not be higher than 1.5
\nmeters.<\/p>\n
\"But I hope they will lower the fences again after the poll,\"
\nhe said. (ind)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/us-embassy-criticized-over-barbed-wire-block-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}