Anti-U.S. protests revived in Surakarta

Kartika Bagus C., The Jakarta Post, Surakarta

Hundreds of Muslims in Surakarta held a mass gathering on Sunday to renew their protest at the killing of innocent Muslim people in the continuing military strikes by the United States and its allies on Afghanistan.

The protesters, who came from around 40 Muslim organizations in the town, held the gathering a week after their journey to Jakarta, where they had joined forces with other Muslims to stage anti-U.S. demonstrations in front of the U.S. Embassy.

They wore traditional Muslim clothing while carrying with them anti-U.S. banners reading, Bersatulah Umat Muslim melawan kafir America dan sekutunya, (Muslim people should be united in fighting against the infidel America and its allies) and Osama bin Laden mujahidin bukan terrorist (Osama bin Laden is a holy fighter, not a terrorist).

Hari Mulyadi, coordinator of the gathering, said it had been held to renew the strong protest of Muslims at the human tragedy in Afghanistan.

"We want the U.S. and its allies to pull out of Afghanistan to avoid a tragedy worse than what happened on Sept. 11," he said.

He also denied that the anti-U.S. demonstration was aimed at toppling President Megawati Soekarnoputri. "The demonstration has nothing to do with any alleged attempts to topple the President," he said.

Zainal Arifin, chairman of the local chapter of the Indonesian Ulemas Association, guaranteed foreigners' safety in the town.

"No Muslim people will be allowed to seek American and British nationals in order to expel them. We guarantee the security of foreigners, including American and British citizens, living in the town," he said.