Activists arrested as they rally against war in Aceh

Activists arrested as they rally against war in Aceh

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

An antiwar rally here ended in the arrest of four foreign and two
Indonesian participants on Wednesday while they were expressing
solidarity for the Acehnese people who have seen violence return
to their home soil.

The arrest took place when about 50 demonstrators marched to
the presidential palace after a rally in front of the United
States Embassy, where they protested what they called the
American occupation of Iraq.

Dozens of riot police dispersed the demonstrators, who
included members of the Democratic People's Party (PRD), the
National Democratic Students League (LMND), the Indonesian
Transportation Workers Union and the Democratic Students Network.

The four foreigners were Australian Nick Everett and Kylie
Moon of the Walk Against War Coalition, South African Lydia
Cairncross of the Antiwar Coalition and Yong Chan of South Korea.
They are being detained at the Central Jakarta Police Station.

Also arrested were Zeli Ariane, chairwoman of Jakarta chapter
of PRD and an unidentified labor union activist, but their
whereabouts remain unknown, according to rally organizer Natalia
Scholastika.

Deputy chief of Central Jakarta Police, Adj. Sr. Comr. Ricky
F. Wakanno, said the demonstrators violated the law by taking
part in a street protest. But as of Wednesday evening, no charges
had been filed.

The foreign activists, who had taken part in the global
antiwar movement following the U.S.-led attack on Iraq, are in
Jakarta to attend an international peace conference which
concluded on Wednesday. They come from 23 countries.

Foreign participants of the conference are expected to leave
on Friday at the latest.

"We suspect the police took tough measures against us because
we support self-determination for the Acehnese," Natalia told The
Jakarta Post. She said the rally organizer had notified the
police of the conference and the street rally, as required by the
1998 law on freedom of expression.

During the media briefing earlier in the day, Indonesian
participant Dita Indah Sari said the conference resulted in a
joint statement against the military offensive and the imposition
of martial law in Aceh.

"We demand the continuation of the Cessation of Hostilities
Agreement and the will to settle the conflict involving wider
participation of Acehnese civil society," labor activist Dita
said.

A participant from Italy, Rafaella Bollini of the Coordination
of the European Social Forum, said the antiwar group avoided
applying double standards on Aceh. "We condemn every use of force
which targets civilians or schools," she said.