Protesters say no to sharia, constitutional amendments<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Hundreds of people rallied in front of the People's
\nConsultative Assembly (MPR)\/House of Representatives (DPR)
\ncomplex on Thursday to reject amendments to the 1945
\nConstitution.<\/p>\n
The protesters also rejected demands for the inclusion of
\nsharia in Article 29 of the 1945 Constitution.<\/p>\n
The protesters came from Front Pembela Proklamasi 45 (the 1945
\nProclamation Defenders Front), Gerakan Rakyat Menolak Amandemen
\nUUD 1945 (the People's Movement against Amendments to the 1945
\nConstitution) and Gerakan Nasional Rakyat Indonesia (the National
\nMovement of the People of Indonesia, or GNRI).<\/p>\n
Six were finally allowed into the MPR building and they met
\nwith members of Commission A. The commission is finalizing
\ndeliberations on several crucial items in the fourth amendment,
\nincluding a proposal for the imposition of sharia. The proponents
\nof sharia have submitted two alternatives: the first to include
\nseven words from the Jakarta Charter in Article 29 of the
\nConstitution, the second to use sharia as the basis for the
\nConstitution.<\/p>\n
According to the protesters, the Unitary Republic of Indonesia
\nis in a state of near-collapse because the amendment process has
\ngone beyond control. The resulting amended Constitution has
\ndeviated from the spirit of the nation (as stated in the preamble
\nto the unamended Constitution), and is therefore a betrayal of
\nthe country's founding fathers.<\/p>\n
"We are not against amendments in principle, but the process
\nhas gone too far," said regional GNRI secretary Karyono, without
\nelaborating.<\/p>\n
GNRI has also rejected the adoption of sharia into the
\nConstitution.<\/p>\n
"We have to be fair. Indonesia is a diverse nation and the
\nadoption of sharia could lead to national disintegration,"
\nKaryono said after the rally.<\/p>\n
"We must return to the original article. Mas Amien (MPR
\nSpeaker Amien Rais) has also agreed to return to the original
\narticle," he added, as quoted by Antara.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, another group of protesters accused the Golkar
\nParty of conspiring with other elements of the MPR to stall the
\namendment process. They demanded, therefore, that the party be
\ndissolved.<\/p>\n
The protesters, grouped under student executive bodies from a
\nnumber of universities including Trisakti and Atma Jaya, and
\nloose student groupings in the Greater Jakarta area, charged that
\nthe MPR and Golkar were not serious in implementing the reform
\nagenda.<\/p>\n
No violence was reported to have occurred during the rally.<\/p>\n
This was the third day of rallies held to coincide with the
\n10-day Annual Session of the MPR, with most protesters demanding
\nendorsement of the fourth batch of amendments.<\/p>\n
The largest rally took place on Tuesday, when thousands of
\nstudents demonstrated outside the Assembly building, demanding
\nthat lawmakers proceed with and endorse crucial amendments to the
\n1945 Constitution.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/protesters-say-no-to-sharia-constitutional-amendments-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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