'Armful' box a big attraction

JAKARTA (JP): A safe that security officers provided for General Assembly participants to leave their firearms in proved a huge attraction yesterday.

The safe, set on a small table at the entrance to the main assembly hall, might not have invoked curiosity had it not been conspicuously labeled "consignment of arms" with a black marker.

Two smiling security officers in neat batik sitting behind the box were overwhelmed by curious passersby asking trivialities about the object which had not been seen before.

They might even become famous today as herds of local photographers took shots of the "rare" attraction.

The officers were annoyed when countless passersby asked the same questions like: "How many guns are inside?" or: "Who has dropped their guns here".

When Assembly members left the hall for lunch, one of the officers rose and exclaimed, "Watch out, snakes inside" and moved the box under the table to the amusement of onlookers. (pan)