Thousands protest, diplomatic efforts heightened to avert war<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Domestic opposition against a possible U.S.-led war on Iraq
\nreached new heights on Sunday when thousands of people rallied in
\nthe capital in one of the biggest anti-war demonstrations in the
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
Efforts to thwart the planned war also came from the country's
\nleaders, with a number of envoys sent to various countries to
\nseek their support against war.<\/p>\n
Two separate groups marched onto the streets on Sunday, one
\norganized by the Islamic-oriented Justice Party (PK) with more
\nthan 10,000 protesters, and the other led by the National
\nAwakening Party (PKB) with hundreds of people taking part.<\/p>\n
Many of the protesters were women wearing traditional Muslim
\nhead scarves and carrying babies. They marched through downtown
\nJakarta, waving banners that read, \"Stop War, Save Iraq\", \"No
\nmore blood\", and \"No Way for State Terrorism\".<\/p>\n
\"War is a crime against humanity and the international
\ncommunity should not let it happen,\" Justice Party's president
\nHidayat Nurwahid told thousands of protesters in front of the
\nU.S. Embassy on Jl. Merdeka Selatan, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Police with riot shields were on hand near the U.S. Embassy,
\nbut the crowd was peaceful. The protesters dispersed shortly
\nafter midday.<\/p>\n
On the same issue, hundreds of PKB supporters protested at the
\nHotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The protest caused only a slight hitch in the light Sunday
\ntraffic in the capital.<\/p>\n
\"There are no reasons that can justify a war,\" PKB Jakarta
\nchief Marzuki Usman, a former minister, told the protesters.<\/p>\n
PKB claims to be an inclusive political party, but its base
\ncomprise traditional Muslims from Nahdlatul Ulama, the country's
\nlargest Muslim organization.<\/p>\n
Many religious leaders, politicians and analysts have warned
\nthat a U.S. attack on Iraq could cause a violent backlash in
\nIndonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, especially
\nif Washington acts without a formal U.N. sanction.<\/p>\n
The United States, along with Britain, has made repeated
\nefforts to win Indonesia's backing for a strike on Iraq.<\/p>\n
U.S. Ambassador Ralph L. Boyce and British Ambassador Richard
\nGozney visited Indonesian legislators on Friday to garner
\nsupport, but many voiced their opposition.<\/p>\n
The government is unsympathetic towards the U.S. policy on
\nIraq, as are most legislators and Indonesians.<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri has made it clear to the U.S.
\ngovernment that the United States would not get Indonesia's
\nsupport in a war with Iraq.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian government, nevertheless, promised that it
\nwould ensure the safety of all foreigners and their interests in
\nthe country should there be a backlash from Indonesians in
\nresponse to Washington's possible war.<\/p>\n
Indonesia saw daily protests across the country in 2001 when
\nthe United States attacked Afghanistan, accused of harboring
\nOsama bin Laden, main suspect behind the Sept. 11 terrorist
\nattacks in the U.S.<\/p>\n
Some radical groups even went to Afghanistan to help Afghans
\nin their fight against the U.S. attack, while others threatened
\nto expel Americans and Europeans from Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The chairman of the country's second largest Muslim
\norganization Muhammadiyah, Ahmad Syafii Maarif, called on all
\nIndonesians, especially Muslims, not to resort to violent acts in
\nexpressing their opposition against the possible war.<\/p>\n
\"We should remain calm and persistent in trying to prevent
\nwar. There is no need to harass foreigners here in Indonesia,\"
\nSyafii was quoted by Antara as saying on Sunday in Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
He also warned that Indonesian Muslims should not go to Iraq,
\neven if a war started, saying that it would only endanger the
\nlives of the Indonesian people.<\/p>\n
\"What we need to do, is to increase our diplomatic efforts to
\nstop the war,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Syafii, Cardinal Julius Darmoatmodjo and noted Muslim scholar
\nNurcholish Madjid are slated to travel to the Vatican to meet
\nPope John Paul II and ask him to help stop the war.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Nahdlatul Ulama chairman Hasyim Muzadi is tasked
\nwith traveling to Australia to gather support from the anti-war
\nmovement there.<\/p>\n
At the same time, the Indonesian government's envoy Ali
\nAlatas, previously the foreign affairs minister, is slated to
\ntravel to the Middle East, also to raise diplomatic efforts and
\nprevent a war.<\/p>\n
More stories -- Page 12<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/thousands-protest-diplomatic-efforts-heightened-to-avert-war-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }