City removes barriers at U.S., Australian embassies

Around 200 workers from the city transportation agency, city public works agency and city public order agency removed the concrete barriers in front of the Australian Embassy on Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said, Kuningan, South Jakarta (left photo), and the U.S. Embassy on Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan, Central Jakarta (right photo) late on Friday evening.

The move was made amid mounting public complaints that the barriers were causing traffic jams.

However, some security guards from the Australian Embassy attempted to replace the barriers again on Saturday morning, but to no avail as city transportation agency officials insisted that slow lane, which had previously been closed, remain open.

Some police officers were seen posted near the barriers on Saturday.

City transportation agency deputy head Nurachman said that the removal of the concrete barriers at the Australian Embassy had long been planned, but had been repeatedly delayed due to objections from the embassy arising out of security concerns.

"After this, we plan to repair the damage to the road in front of the (Australian) embassy," he said.

Last week, the administration sent a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs seeking assistance in having the roadblocks at the embassies removed.

The administration said that the Jakarta police had advised that the barriers be removed and the closed-off road lanes reopened. The police gave assurances that the removal of the barriers would not significantly affect security arrangements at the two embassies.

Australian Embassy spokesperson Elizabeth O'Neill declined to comment on the reopening of the slow lane in front of her embassy.

"Our main priority is to ensure the safety of Indonesian and Australian staff at the Embassy. We will continue working together with the Indonesian authorities about security issues at the embassy," she told The Jakarta Post.

The embassy had said earlier that it would agree to the reopening of the road "in the next couple of months pending the completion of substantial construction and repair work at the embassy".

U.S. Embassy spokesperson Max Kwak could not be immediately reached for comment on Saturday.

But, he said last week that his embassy had told the Indonesian government that it was looking forward to "moving the barrier and returning the lane to traffic at the earliest opportunity after the embassy and the Indonesian government have made suitable arrangements for the security of the embassy". -- JP