Acehnese hold mass prayer for Iraqis
Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh, Aceh
Ignoring their own problems, some 10,000 Acehnese held a peaceful gathering in the strife-torn province's capital of Banda Aceh on Saturday afternoon, condemning the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.
The rally, which was conducted at Baiturrahman Grand Mosque, was attended by Governor Abdullah Puteh, Aceh Council Chairman Muhammad Yus and local ulemas.
Puteh told reporters that the move reflected the Acehnese people's solidarity and empathy for the Iraqi people's suffering following the coalition forces' continued attack on the predominantly Muslim country.
He did not think the gathering was ironic, even though the Acehnese themselves had yet to effect real peace in the province, which had suffered a separatist war for over 26 years.
The security condition in Aceh is, indeed, still fragile despite the signing of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement in Geneva last year by Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) to end the conflict that has claimed more than 12,000 lives.
Several violations continued to storm the province during the five-month disarmament phase, which started on Feb. 9.
"It's America which turned Aceh this way," Puteh said without elaborating.
Rally participants came from the city and its outskirts by buses and trucks. They armed themselves with effigies of U.S. President George W. Bush, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Australian Prime Minister John Howard and Spanish President Jose Maria Aznar, as well as posters and banners reading "God-forsaken evils: Bush and his allies", "Stop War" and "No War".
At the end of the rally, participants carried the effigies around the mosque and set them on fire.
The war on Iraq has sparked daily protests and condemnation from various sectors at home. The government has even called for a United Nations (UN) emergency open meeting to issue a harsh resolution to push the coalition countries to stop their aggression against Iraq.
The protesters later conducted daily afternoon prayers and an istighotsah special mass prayer. Several women who attended the mass praying wept over the bloody attack as they chanted.
"The condition in Iraq is much worse than in Aceh, where our people are also fighting," commented Aminah, 45.
As many as a dozen people spoke, condemning the U.S.-led invasion on Iraq, underlining the fact that most Iraqis were Muslims, just like the Acehnese.
Aceh is also known as the Veranda of Mecca.
"This prayer is not only for Iraq, but also for all Muslims on earth," said Muslim Ibrahim, who chairs the Aceh Ulemas Consultative Assembly (MPU), adding, however, that Acehnese must also pray for peace in the province.
Following the speeches, the organizing committee of the gathering issued statements, asking the UN Security Council to stop the U.S.-led aggression against Iraq and also appealed to the UN to bring Bush, Blair, Howard and Maria Aznar to the international tribunals.
Puteh said that the committee would convey the statement to the Aceh administration to forward to President Megawati Soekarnoputri.
He said that the administration would also consider sending humanitarian aid to Iraq or boycotting U.S. products.
"It all depends on the people," Puteh said.
Saturday's peaceful rally against the Iraq war, under the watchful guard of some 200 security officers, was the second to be held in Aceh. Two days earlier, dozens of protesters from the Justice Party also held a similar rally.