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Relief in Jakarta as sidewalk in front of US embassy reopens
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Acting Jakarta governor Heru Budi Hartono (second right) inspects the condition of the sidewalk in front of the US Embassy on Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan in Central Jakarta, on June 11. (Antara/PPID DKI Jakarta)
J
akartans rejoiced last weekend as the sidewalk in front of the United States Embassy compound in Central Jakarta was reopened to the public after more than two decades.
The capital administration removed the concrete barriers and barbed wire fences set up to stop pedestrian traffic along the 170 meter stretch of pavement last weekend, after renewed protests from people forced to step onto the busy Jl. Medan Merdeka to pass by.
The process was witnessed by officials from the Foreign Ministry and the US Embassy in Jakarta. An embassy spokesperson said the decision was motivated by accessibility, safety and walkability considerations.
“We applaud the engaged citizens who elevated this issue and thank our Indonesian partners for improving sidewalk access in front of the US Embassy,” the US mission wrote in a statement on Thursday.
Jakarta’s residents hailed the return of a key portion of the footpath that wraps around the central National Monument (Monas).
Susi, a 34-year-old woman from Menteng, Central Jakarta, said she felt much safer after the sidewalk in front of the US embassy opened.
“I’m no longer worried because I don't have to step down and onto a road with a lot of vehicle traffic. I appreciate the US Embassy for respecting pedestrians’ rights," she said on Saturday, as quoted on the city’s official website.
