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NEWS - Security Tight for all Digni
- Subject: NEWS - Security Tight for all Digni
- From: Rangoonp@xxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 17 Jun 1999 20:47:00
Subject: NEWS - Security Tight for all Dignitaries <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Security Tight for all Dignitaries
Africa News Service
15-JUN-99
Johannesburg (Business Day, June 15, 1999) -
More than 2000 security personnel have been
deployed to ensure the safety of visiting dignitaries
at tomorrow's presidential inauguration in what
police believe is the largest security operation in
Pretoria's h istory.
Bomb disposal personnel yesterday combed every
room of five upmarket hotels in northern
Johannesburg and Pretoria ahead of the arrival of
foreign dignitaries. The amphitheatre at the Union
Buildings, where the inauguration is to take place,
has been un der constant watch by security
personnel since the weekend.
Head of the police's VIP protection service Gary
Kruser said yesterday that each foreign delegation
sent an advance team last week to make security
arrangements for dignitaries.
Officials from the SA Secret Service and the
National Intelligence Agency did risk analyses for
each visitor, and have assigned eight guests
"medium and high-risk status."
It is understood Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi
was the first to make the high-risk list, and has been
surrounded by SA bodyguards since his arrival on
Sunday.
The Union Buildings and state theatre will be
surrounded by a ring of soldiers and uniformed
police tomorrow. Several hundred plain clothes
personnel will be among the crowds.
Dignitaries and international media attending the
inauguration will be the first to use Johannesburg
International Airport's brand-new international
arrivals terminal.
Airport GM Rory Mackey said contractors had been
working around the clock for the past three months
to have the terminal ready to offer guests a
world-class arrival.
Delta Motor Corporation loaned the Department of
Foreign Affairs 32 vehicles. They were 25 Opel
Astras, five Saabs and two Cadillacs.
In Geneva, SA trade union representatives and
worker delegates at the International Labour
Organisation (ILO) yesterday denounced
government's move to invite the Burmese
government to the presidential inauguration.
This follows reports to the ILO conference that the
Burma government allows the widespread use of
forced labour.
A report compiled by the International Confederation
of Free Trade Unions said all basic trade union
rights were denied in Burma, while the government's
"military dictatorship" had cracked down on all trade
union activity. Many trade unions were forced to
operate from outside the country.
The worker delegation to the ILO conference has
proposed the adoption of a resolution by the
conference at its closure on Thursday halting all
technical and other assistance by the ILO. This
resolution has been proposed in view of Burma's
flagrant viol ation of the ILO convention on forced
labour.
The resolution said the Burmese government had
persisted in failing to comply with the convention,
which it had ratified.
National Council of Trade Unions general secretary
Cunningham Ngcukana said it was unacceptable for
the SA government to invite representatives of
Burma. w. He said "the military regime in Burma has
made mileage out of the fact that they received an
in vitation".
He said the head of Burma military intelligence was
expected in SA.
The standing committee on the application of ILO
standards and conventions received reports that
there was "abundant evidence" showing the
"pervasive use of forced labour imposed on the
civilian population throughout Burma by the
authorities and the mi litary". The Burma
government forced people to do construction,
maintenance and to service military camps and to
do other work in the military.
Trade unionists at the ILO conference were
concerned the head of Burma military intelligence,
who led the oppression in Burma, had been invited.
Meanwhile, the statues of generals Botha, Hertzog
and Smuts at the Union Buildings are to be draped
for the inauguration. The Democratic Party
criticised the action as an "airbrush" of history,
reminiscent of the Eastern Europe of old.
"We urge the decision to cover up the past be
reversed. It is a gesture that will trigger an era of
discord SA can ill afford to project to eminent
foreign guests and visitors," DP culture spokesman
Dene Smuts said.
By Jonny Steinberg, Renee Grawitzky, Simphiwe
Xako and Linda Ensor
Copyright 1999 Business Day. Distributed via
Africa News Online.