Flying high in Jakarta while poverty reigns at home
Flying high in Jakarta while poverty reigns at home
Abdul Khalik
The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
Notions that most African countries are poor, or less-developed
Asian countries, like Myanmar or Cambodia, have no money to
develop their countries would seem to be wrong, at least if the
lines of jets parked at Halim Perdanakusumah airport in East
Jakarta are anything to go by.
Dozens of either Boeing or Airbus jets are parked in the
eastern part of the airport under heavy security provided by the
Presidential Guard, the Indonesian Air Force, and airport
personnel.
First Lieutenant Aswien, an officer based at the airport, said
that all the presidents that landed at Halim Perdanakusumah had
traveled by jet, and most of the planes were waiting in the
airport to take them home again.
"Several planes flew home immediately and will come back later
to pick up delegates, but most will be staying here at least
until Monday," he told The Jakarta Post.
From a brief inspection, there would seem to be little
difference between the jets belonging to the rich countries and
those of the poorer countries.
Several presidents of African countries, such as Zimbabwe,
Nigeria and Tanzania, used Boeings while other African leaders,
including those of Algeria and Sudan, traveled to Jakarta on
Airbuses.
Less-developed Asian countries, such as Vietnam, Myanmar and
Cambodia, preferred Airbuses while others, including Nepal and
Iran, used Boeings.
Besides planes the from the less-developed countries, two
planes with Japanese flags, and one each with Chinese and
Malaysian flags were also seen among the planes.
In stark contrast to their leaders' multimillion dollar
planes, most people in Africa and in many Asian countries still
live below the poverty line.
The 12.6 million people of Zimbabwe, for instance, have annual
incomes of less than US$1,900 per capita (calculated using
purchasing power parity), while income per capita of the around 137
million Nigerians is less than US$1,000. The poorest is Tanzania,
which has income per capita of only US$600.
Cambodia and Vietnam, both Southeast Asian countries, have
incomes per capita of less than US$2,000 and US$2,300
respectively.
By way of comparison, Indonesia and South Africa, the host and
co-host of the summit, have per capita incomes of around US$3,000
and US$11,000 respectively, while among the developed countries,
Japan has a per capita income of around US$30,000.
All the representatives of the participating states are
scheduled to go to Bandung to commemorate the 50th anniversary of
the Asian-African Conference on Sunday morning.
"We have guards in every corner of the airport during the
summit to make sure all of the planes are safe from whatever
threats could arise. No unauthorized persons will be allowed to
come near the planes," Aswien said.
The summit committee has laid on five planes owned by state-
owned airline Garuda Indonesia and one plane owned by private
company Adam Air to transport the delegates from Jakarta to
Bandung.
Abdul Khalik
The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
Notions that most African countries are poor, or less-developed
Asian countries, like Myanmar or Cambodia, have no money to
develop their countries would seem to be wrong, at least if the
lines of jets parked at Halim Perdanakusumah airport in East
Jakarta are anything to go by.
Dozens of either Boeing or Airbus jets are parked in the
eastern part of the airport under heavy security provided by the
Presidential Guard, the Indonesian Air Force, and airport
personnel.
First Lieutenant Aswien, an officer based at the airport, said
that all the presidents that landed at Halim Perdanakusumah had
traveled by jet, and most of the planes were waiting in the
airport to take them home again.
"Several planes flew home immediately and will come back later
to pick up delegates, but most will be staying here at least
until Monday," he told The Jakarta Post.
From a brief inspection, there would seem to be little
difference between the jets belonging to the rich countries and
those of the poorer countries.
Several presidents of African countries, such as Zimbabwe,
Nigeria and Tanzania, used Boeings while other African leaders,
including those of Algeria and Sudan, traveled to Jakarta on
Airbuses.
Less-developed Asian countries, such as Vietnam, Myanmar and
Cambodia, preferred Airbuses while others, including Nepal and
Iran, used Boeings.
Besides planes the from the less-developed countries, two
planes with Japanese flags, and one each with Chinese and
Malaysian flags were also seen among the planes.
In stark contrast to their leaders' multimillion dollar
planes, most people in Africa and in many Asian countries still
live below the poverty line.
The 12.6 million people of Zimbabwe, for instance, have annual
incomes of less than US$1,900 per capita (calculated using
purchasing power parity), while income per capita of the around 137
million Nigerians is less than US$1,000. The poorest is Tanzania,
which has income per capita of only US$600.
Cambodia and Vietnam, both Southeast Asian countries, have
incomes per capita of less than US$2,000 and US$2,300
respectively.
By way of comparison, Indonesia and South Africa, the host and
co-host of the summit, have per capita incomes of around US$3,000
and US$11,000 respectively, while among the developed countries,
Japan has a per capita income of around US$30,000.
All the representatives of the participating states are
scheduled to go to Bandung to commemorate the 50th anniversary of
the Asian-African Conference on Sunday morning.
"We have guards in every corner of the airport during the
summit to make sure all of the planes are safe from whatever
threats could arise. No unauthorized persons will be allowed to
come near the planes," Aswien said.
The summit committee has laid on five planes owned by state-
owned airline Garuda Indonesia and one plane owned by private
company Adam Air to transport the delegates from Jakarta to
Bandung.