'Misguided' journalists

JAKARTA (JP): Reporters covering the swearing in of President Soeharto grumbled yesterday about the excessive security applied both inside and outside the People's Consultative Assembly compound.

During the opening of the General Session on March 1, reporters were permitted to enter the balconies of the main building. Yesterday, they were turned away from doors -- fitted with metal detectors -- leading to the venue. Only photographers with certain accreditation were given access.

A group of reporters mustered whatever courage they still had left and tried to approach the doors -- manned by stern-looking, burly security men in batik shirts -- with a nonchalance they did not feel.

"Go to the left," said one of the security officers.

The reporters went to the left wing of the building, where doors were also guarded tightly.

"Oh, you are reporters (as opposed to photographers), go to the second floor," said another officer.

So up to the second floor the journalists went, only to find all doors and openings were secured with red police tape inscribed with "no admittance".

"Oh, they told us to go upstairs, perhaps we should try the third level," an optimistic reporter said to her colleagues.

No such luck, as doors there were also lined with security guards.

The frustrated journalists trudged back downstairs, mumbling angrily to the officers who gave them the wrong guidance, but did not really have the courage to protest.

"They made us perform thawaf," a male reporter grumbled, referring to the rite performed during Islamic pilgrimages where Moslems have to walk or run back and forth between the mound Shafa and mound Marwa in front of the Kaaba in Mecca. (swe)