Security tightened ahead of Bali ASEAN summit next month
Security tightened ahead of Bali ASEAN summit next month
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Over 4,000 soldiers and police are being prepared to safeguard
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, to be
held on the resort island of Bali next month, a government
official says.
State Secretary/Cabinet Secretary Bambang Kesowo told House of
Representatives Commission I on defense and foreign affairs on
Wednesday that three special teams, totaling 4,404 personnel,
would be deployed for the two-day summit, scheduled to start on
Oct. 7.
About half of the personnel would come from the military.
"To anticipate the possibility of higher-level disturbances,
antiterror teams and their equipment will also be involved, as
well as backup from sea and air patrols by the Indonesian
Military headquarters," Bambang said.
He said most of the security personnel would be plainclothed,
so as to maintain the benign image of the resort island, which
remains the country's principal tourist destination.
The government had also earmarked funds totaling Rp 39.9
billion to finance the security measures, he said.
Leaders of the 10 member states of ASEAN are expected to
attend the summit, while accompanying talks will also be attended
by top representatives from several Asian partners, including
China, Japan, South Korea and India.
ASEAN comprises Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos,
Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and
Vietnam.
Bambang also told the lawmakers that the disclosure on fund
allocation was being made to dismiss any accusations that the
state secretary had been involved in collusion by purchasing
luxury cars that would be used by ASEAN heads of state.
"The allegation is unfounded and untrue, as we have received
assistance from car producers such as Volvo, BMW, Nissan and
Hyundai," he said.
Separately, Australia Prime Minister John Howard said security
measures in Bali would be tight ahead of a memorial service held
to mark the first anniversary of the 2002 bombings that killed 88
Australians. The blast claimed a total of 202 lives, mostly
foreign holidaymakers.
"Security is a major consideration in our planning for the
Bali service and other associated events to be held in Bali,"
Howard told a parliament session. "We are working closely with
the Indonesian authorities on this."
Indonesian police, together with the Australian police, will
provide security for the memorial service.
A service will be held in Bali on the morning of Oct. 12, with
the Australian government funding victims and relatives who wish
to go. It will end with singer John Williamson leading a
rendition of Australia's unofficial national anthem, Waltzing
Matilda.
Howard and Australia's opposition Labor leader, Simon Crean,
will attend the service but Indonesian President Megawati
Soekarnoputri will not, sending a senior representative, as
Jakarta has said she would be busy hosting a visit by the
Algerian president.
A second service will be held in the national parliament in
Canberra on Oct. 16.
Howard said various other events were also being organized to
mark the occasion, with a memorial to the victims to be unveiled
in the grounds of Parliament House and a special honors list to
recognize the bravery of those who helped victims and families.
The terrorist bombings of two bars in the popular Kuta resort,
Bali, are regarded by many in Australia as the country's own
Sept. 11.
A shadowy terrorist group, Jamaah Islamiyah, has been blamed
for the blasts. Two of the group's members who acted as field
operators in the bombings, Imam Samudra and Amrozi, have already
been sentenced to death for their primary role in the carnage.