• by IPS Correspondents (jakarta)
• Monday, November 14, 1994
• Inter Press Service

JAKARTA, Nov 14 (IPS) - Indonesia is all dressed up and playing genial host for this year's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings, which culminates in a summit of the 18 heads of government Tuesday.

But the smiles of officials are wearing thin as protests against Indonesian policy in East Timor drown out their greetings to their distinguished guests.

On Saturday, at least 20 East Timorese students broke into the U.S. embassy here, unfurling banners and posters urging U.S. President Bill Clinton to press for the release of jailed East Timorese resistance leader Jose Alexandre Gusmao. The students are now holding a sit-in at the compound's parking lot.

On Sunday, demonstrations broke out in the East Timorese capital of Dili, a day after the third anniversary of the 1991 massacre of more than 150 pro-independence protesters there by Indonesian troops.

Indonesia had looked forward to hosting the APEC meetings, seeing it as chance to heighten its international profile and show off its successes. As early as a month ago, the city government began to rid Jakarta of eyesores, ranging from petty criminals to street hawkers.

Municipal officials also say more than 600 undesirables -- including 286 vendors, 12 street singers, 60 prostitutes and 20 'prostitute-transvestites' -- had been shooed away from highways where delegates are likely to pass.

Now, streamers, banners and brightly-lit signs saying 'Welcome APEC delegates' dot thoroughfares and adorn hotels in this sprawling city of 10 million people. The streets sport a freshly scrubbed look, and have been spruced up by newly-planted flowers.

Some 200 brand-new vehicles, including 6,000-cc Mercedes Benzes for heads of government, have been imported and lent to the government for the use of APEC delegates. The government has also put several hospitals, doctors and fire trucks on call in case of emergency and a back-up electric power system has been installed.

Security has been tightened in the run-up to the summit, and x- ray machines and metal detectors have suddenly sprouted at hotels where heads of government will stay.

"Our culture dictates that we put our best clothes to show our deepest respect to honourable guests paying us a visit," one local official was quoted as saying.

But Indonesia has been worried that the issue of East Timor, which it invaded in 1975 and annexed a year later, would mar its attempts to put its best foot forward during the APEC meetings.

© Inter Press Service (2014) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service

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