Acehnese hold mass prayer for Iraqis

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.