U.S. wants stronger wall to protect embassy
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso has rejected a personally delivered request from U.S. Ambassador Ralph L. Boyce for permission to build a new security fence at the embassy, saying the design was illegal and would set a bad precedent.
However, council bylaws do allow discretion and the precedent already exists, with the U.S. Embassy fences on Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan in Central Jakarta already well above the two-meter maximum.
Boyce visited Sutiyoso on Monday to seek permission to strengthen security at the embassy and the ambassador's and deputy ambassador's residences on Jl. Taman Suropati, Central Jakarta.
City Planning and Supervision of Buildings (P2B) Agency head Djumhana said the Americans wanted to build a three-meter high fence -- comprising a 2.5-meter-tall solid wall topped with 0.5- meters of see-through bars -- to protect the embassy and the residences.
Djumhana said the demand was rejected by Sutiyoso as it breached City Bylaw No. 7/1991 on Fences for Residences and Offices.
Under the bylaw, office fences should not exceed two meters: one meter of solid wall and another meter of bars or chain mail. Fences for residences should be not higher than 1.5 meters: one meter of solid wall and 0.5 meter of iron bars or chain mail.
Sutiyoso confirmed the request from Ambassador Boyce, but said he could not fulfill the request as it would set a bad precedent.
"If I allow the request, other ambassadors would ask for the same things," Sutiyoso told the press on Monday.
Sutiyoso said that Ambassador Boyce told him the request to strengthen the embassy's fence came from Washington and it was not only for the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, but also in other countries.
Currently, the Embassy is protected by a three-meter high iron-bar fence.
Djumhana said though the existing fence breached the bylaw, the law allowed the governor to give special treatment in certain circumstances.
Djumhana said the governor gave Boyce two alternatives. First, the embassy could build a one-meter wall, topped with two meters of see-through protective material. The new fence could replace the current fence.
The Second alternative was that the embassy could build a 2.5- meter solid wall topped with 50 centimeters of see-through material, but the location should be five-metres from the existing fence, inside the embassy compound.
Djumhana said that before the fence was constructed, there should be consultation between the embassy's architect and city administration officials.
Fearing terrorist attacks, the U.S. Embassy had earlier urged Jakarta Police to clear half of Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan of parked cars. This followed a successful U.S. request to move the U-turn from in front of the embassy to in front of City Hall.
City Hall and the embassy are separated by the Vice Presidential palace.
Last year, the British Embassy managed to have a section of Jl. Muhammad Yamin in Central Jakarta, where it is located, closed after it received a bomb threat.