Government to allows embassies to fortify walls

Government to allows embassies to fortify walls

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The city is expected to give its approval soon on the
construction of three-meter-high concrete walls at several
embassies amid security concerns following the Sept. 9 bomb
attack outside the Australian Embassy in South Jakarta.

However, Governor Sutiyoso said once the construction of the
walls was finished, the U.S. and British embassies would be
required remove concrete barricades they had placed outside on
the roads so they would not hinder traffic.

"When the walls are already built, they (the embassies) won't
need to use the roads," he said.

The two embassies closed off the roads in front of their
compounds to ensure greater security after the attack. Both have
put up barriers blocking one lane of Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan
and Jl. M.H. Thamrin.

Sutiyoso said his decision allowing the embassies to construct
the walls, which contravenes local Bylaw No. 7/1991 on city
buildings, was driven by security concerns. The bylaw stipulates
all inner-city buildings' outer walls must have a maximum height
of two meters and the upper part of the wall must be made from
transparent material.

He said the walls were designed to protect the buildings from
bomb attacks.

"The design of the walls is also made to cope with the kind of
bombing attacks that have occurred in Palestine and other middle
eastern countries," he said.

"By having these walls, terrorists will no longer be able to
use car-bombs in their attacks. Terrorist intruders can sneak
into the complex, but they won't be able to carry much
explosives."

Sutiyoso said he expected the U.S., Australian, and British
embassies would show him designs of the walls shortly.

The concrete walls would not be permanent, he said. "If we
think the situation has become safer, then they have to uproot
the walls," he said.

Last week, outgoing U.S. Ambassador Ralph L. Boyce, British
Ambassador Charles Humphrey and Australian Ambassador David
Ritchie met Sutiyoso at the governor's residence in Menteng,
Central Jakarta. During the meeting, they asked for higher and
stronger walls.

Jakarta Construction Supervision and Regulation Agency head
Djumhana Tjakrawirja said the city would immediately issue a
special gubernatorial decree allowing for the construction of the
walls at the three embassies. The decree overrules the bylaw.