Security tight for Powell's arrival
Security tight for Powell's arrival
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The visit of high-ranking American officials to Indonesia always
means equally high levels of security, and it was no different
when U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell arrived here on
Thursday.
Barely did Powell step foot on Indonesian soil and it seemed
everywhere he went became a kind of U.S. territory. Indeed some
local media wondered whether they'd ever get a chance to meet him
at all, with only several press photographers authorized to take
pictures of his arrival at Halim Perdanakusuma airbase.
True to form, Powell alighted heavily guarded by U.S. Secret
Service agents.
"We cannot take pictures because they already have accredited
photo and television crews covering the visit and only several
designated media are allowed to enter the airport," an annoyed
photographer said.
About 30 secret service agents have already been here for one
week to prepare for the retired general's visit.
With his arrival at the Jakarta Convention Center on Thursday
afternoon, the agents acted as if they were on home ground.
"You guys have to stay behind this line, even when there is no
actual line over here, just consider this as an imaginary line.
As long as you stay behind the line we are okay," an agent said
to journalists.
Irritated by this "instruction", one journalist made a
sarcastic comeback, "Yes, an imaginary line with barbed-wire."
The agent was not impressed.
Powell will be in Jakarta for two days to attend the ASEAN
Regional Forum (ARF) and is set to have a bilateral talks with
his Indonesian counterpart, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan
Wirayuda, on Friday morning.
To prepare the visit, the secret service agency brought along
special dog-handlers and cleared out an entire floor at the Mulia
Hotel in South Jakarta where Powell's officials are to stay the
night.
The agents also requested partitions be placed at the top of
the stairway in the hotel so people couldn't see into the U.S.
area.
"This is not a special request. They just asked us to follow
their standard procedures for security. No journalists are
allowed to go near Powell. He has his own cars and procedures.
But there's nothing extraordinary in this," an official in
charge of protocol told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
The official acknowledged there could be problems using mobile
phones during the ASEAN meeting, because American agents were
planning to jam all mobile signals for security reasons.
"But this is still being arranged," he said.