Guards in place for summit and delegates

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Walking back and forth in front of the entrance of the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC) in Central Jakarta, Second Private Yatno, 27, remained on the alert. With his rifle under his arm he promptly questioned anyone that he thought would enter the building where the Asian-African Summit will take place on April 22 to April 24.

"The payment is less for guarding a concert or launching of a product, but I'm very proud to be involved in this big event. I probably will never see so many state leaders in one place again in my life," he told The Jakarta Post.

He was quick to add that lower pay did not mean taking his job less seriously; state duty, he says, comes first before anything, including money.

Yatno did not provide details, but by way of comparison, a police or military guard is usually paid Rp 50,000 to Rp 100,000 for a one-day concert. The government has allocated around Rp 800 million for 10,854 police officers, and has budgeted almost the same amount for over 10,000 TNI personnel.

Indonesia is doing all it can to ensure that the historic event is safe and comfortable for all. Preventive measures against terrorist attacks are the main feature of the security measures; while in response to threats from the forces of nature, the main meetings have been moved from Bandung to Jakarta following warnings that the Mount Tangkuban Perahu volcano had become active.

JCC and the Hilton Hotel, where most delegates will stay, are located in the Senayan sport complex, which are surrounded by four roads -- Jl. Sudirman on the southern side, Jl. Gatot Subroto on the east, Jl. Gerbang Pemuda on the north, and Jl. Asia Africa on the west.

Mulia Hotel, another hotel used by delegates, is located on Jl. Asia Africa, across from the Senayan Complex.

Yatno was only one of 10 police and TNI officers who were securing one of two JCC gates along Jl. Gatot Subroto. Several soldiers also guarded several accessways along the street.

At least 20 personnel are ready to secure each of the two entrances along Jl. Gerbang Pemuda. More personnel have been placed to secure the more complicated Jl. Asia Africa where at least five points have to be guarded, including the entrance to Plaza Senayan, and the Senayan Trade Center building.

Along the main thoroughfare of Jl. Sudirman at least 10 entry points will be guarded, including Ratu Plaza, Carrefour supermarket, Ministry of National Education building, and the southern gate of the Hilton Hotel.

A total of around 14,000 police officers and military personnel will guard both the Senayan Complex and Mulia Hotel, referred to as Ring 2 by the officers.

Within Ring 1 perimeter, which includes hotel and conference building, stringent security measures are already in place. Dozens of bomb squad personnel have been placed in each of the buildings.

The 56 state leaders and hundreds of ministers will receive a personal escort from the police and military. According to regulations, heads of state will be guarded by TNI personnel while ministers and senior officials will be guarded by police.

"We are sure that we have prepared ourselves to secure the conference.", said Yatno.

Meanwhile, police have also tightened several access routes to Jakarta and Java island.

Jakarta police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani said that his officers had intensively checked many areas in Bekasi, Tangerang, Depok, and Bogor, to prevent people that could endanger the conference from entering the capital.

In Serang, Banten province, every day around 100 police officers check each passenger coming from Sumatra island right after they arrive in Merak port and carefully examine private cars, trucks, and buses once they exit the port to Jakarta.