Activists arrested as they rally against war in Aceh<\/p>\n
Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
An antiwar rally here ended in the arrest of four foreign and two
\nIndonesian participants on Wednesday while they were expressing
\nsolidarity for the Acehnese people who have seen violence return
\nto their home soil.<\/p>\n
The arrest took place when about 50 demonstrators marched to
\nthe presidential palace after a rally in front of the United
\nStates Embassy, where they protested what they called the
\nAmerican occupation of Iraq.<\/p>\n
Dozens of riot police dispersed the demonstrators, who
\nincluded members of the Democratic People's Party (PRD), the
\nNational Democratic Students League (LMND), the Indonesian
\nTransportation Workers Union and the Democratic Students Network.<\/p>\n
The four foreigners were Australian Nick Everett and Kylie
\nMoon of the Walk Against War Coalition, South African Lydia
\nCairncross of the Antiwar Coalition and Yong Chan of South Korea.
\nThey are being detained at the Central Jakarta Police Station.<\/p>\n
Also arrested were Zeli Ariane, chairwoman of Jakarta chapter
\nof PRD and an unidentified labor union activist, but their
\nwhereabouts remain unknown, according to rally organizer Natalia
\nScholastika.<\/p>\n
Deputy chief of Central Jakarta Police, Adj. Sr. Comr. Ricky
\nF. Wakanno, said the demonstrators violated the law by taking
\npart in a street protest. But as of Wednesday evening, no charges
\nhad been filed.<\/p>\n
The foreign activists, who had taken part in the global
\nantiwar movement following the U.S.-led attack on Iraq, are in
\nJakarta to attend an international peace conference which
\nconcluded on Wednesday. They come from 23 countries.<\/p>\n
Foreign participants of the conference are expected to leave
\non Friday at the latest.<\/p>\n
\"We suspect the police took tough measures against us because
\nwe support self-determination for the Acehnese,\" Natalia told The
\nJakarta Post. She said the rally organizer had notified the
\npolice of the conference and the street rally, as required by the
\n1998 law on freedom of expression.<\/p>\n
During the media briefing earlier in the day, Indonesian
\nparticipant Dita Indah Sari said the conference resulted in a
\njoint statement against the military offensive and the imposition
\nof martial law in Aceh.<\/p>\n
\"We demand the continuation of the Cessation of Hostilities
\nAgreement and the will to settle the conflict involving wider
\nparticipation of Acehnese civil society,\" labor activist Dita
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
A participant from Italy, Rafaella Bollini of the Coordination
\nof the European Social Forum, said the antiwar group avoided
\napplying double standards on Aceh. \"We condemn every use of force
\nwhich targets civilians or schools,\" she said.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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