RI antiwar protests getting rowdier<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati and Tertiani ZB Simanjutak, The Jakarta Post,
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
The wave of antiwar rallies continued on Sunday with thousands of
\nprotesters taking to the streets across the country to express
\ntheir opposition to the ongoing U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, close to 2,000 protesters took turns staging
\npeaceful rallies in front of the tightly-guarded United States
\nEmbassy on Jl. Merdeka Selatan in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The U.S. is leading coalition forces invading Iraq, ostensibly
\nto get rid of the country's alleged weapons of mass destruction.<\/p>\n
The first protest started at around 10 a.m. and involved some
\n200 students belonging to various organizations. Carrying posters
\nthat among other things read: "Bush is a war criminal", "Stop the
\ninvasion", and "No more war", the students demanded an immediate
\nhalt to the one-sided attack on Iraq.<\/p>\n
"We urge the international tribunal to bring Bush, Blair, and
\nHoward to court as terrorists and war criminals," said one of the
\nprotesters from a makeshift stage set up on a pick-up truck,
\nwhile failing to specify what exact international tribunal he had
\nin mind.<\/p>\n
The protester was referring to U.S. President George W. Bush,
\nBritish Prime Minister Tony Blair, and Australian Prime Minister
\nHoward. The three countries make up the main military forces
\nparticipating in the invasion, which has drawn worldwide
\ncondemnation.<\/p>\n
During the protest, some protesters burned U.S. flags and
\nthrew eggs at the embassy, which was guarded by some 400
\npolicemen. The protesters dispersed peacefully.<\/p>\n
Later in the day, some 1,000 protesters, organized by a
\ncoalition of some 40 organizations, including Christian and
\nBuddhist groups, also rallied in front of the mission.<\/p>\n
The protest ended after about three hours with the burning of
\nan effigy of Bush and the reading of a joint statement demanding
\nan immediate end to the invasion of Iraq.<\/p>\n
"We call for the war to be immediately halted," a protester
\nread out from a prepared statement.<\/p>\n
The protesters also urged President Megawati Soekarnoputri to
\ncut diplomatic ties with Washington.<\/p>\n
On Sunday afternoon, some 200 members of the Islam Defenders
\nFront (FPI), a small hard-line group, staged a protest against
\nthe war outside the embassy.<\/p>\n
The FPI, which has resumed its operations after having claimed
\nto have suspended them several months ago, said they would send
\nvolunteers to help Iraq during the war.<\/p>\n
"It is better to send any other Imam Samudras that there might
\nbe to Iraq for a jihad than threaten our internal security," said
\nFPI chairman Habib Rizieq, referring to the alleged mastermind of
\nlast year's Bali terrorist attacks that killed at least 202
\npeople and injured over 350 others, mostly foreigners.<\/p>\n
The FPI claims it has started recruiting volunteers to wage a
\njihad, or holy war, against the U.S. and its allies in Iraq.
\nAround 200 FPI supporters signed up on Sunday, the first day of a
\none-week recruitment drive.<\/p>\n
FPI secretary-general Ahmad Shabri Lubis claimed that
\nthousands of supporters across the country had signed up on
\nSunday. The FPI hoped to send them in three weeks' time.<\/p>\n
"There will be some physical and psychological training, but
\nif necessary those who already have passports can leave
\nimmediately," he told reporters.<\/p>\n
"Apprehending foreigners and U.S. citizens is no longer on our
\nagenda. But jihad is. We are confronting an unjust war, not the
\npeople, because we don't want to end up in the hands of the
\npolice force," he added.<\/p>\n
In the Central Java town of Pekalongan, more than 2,000 school
\nstudents held a rally in the town's main square to pray for the
\npeople of Iraq, and for peace, Agence France Presse reported.<\/p>\n
"They burned flags, American and British, I think, but there
\nwere no incidents," said a policeman.<\/p>\n
An antiwar protest was also staged by about 150 people from
\nthe Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) in front of the U.S.
\nconsulate general in Denpasar, Bali.<\/p>\n
In Surabaya, East Java, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the country's
\nlargest Muslim organization, set up a post to collect
\nhumanitarian aid for Iraqi refugees.<\/p>\n
NU East Java deputy secretary Romadlon Sukardi said on Sunday
\nthat his group would coordinate with the Indonesian Red Cross to
\ntransport the humanitarian aid to Iraq.<\/p>\n
The Muslim group also urged the U.S. to stop the military
\nattack on Iraq and bring the case to the United Nations.<\/p>\n
There were no reports of the terrorist attacks that were
\npredicted by Australia over the weekend. Malls and shopping
\ncenters opened as usual on Sunday.<\/p>",
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