Hundreds take part in parade for peace
Hundreds take part in parade for peace
JAKARTA (JP): After days of rallies -- some of them violent,
the capital enjoyed an arts performance on Sunday aimed at easing
the political tension.
No less than 500 people took part in the celebration, which
ranged from a parade to a music festival that lasted into the
evening.
"It is a moral campaign and also entertainment for city
residents to enjoy after days of demonstrations and violence. It
is time to end these clashes," Anwar Sutrisno, the coordinator of
the event, said in his opening remarks.
Some people arrived in medium-sized buses, while others showed
up in the parking lot of the Senayan sports complex in
traditional horse-drawn carriages, or delman.
The arts performance, sponsored by cultural activist Setiawan
Djody of the Kantata Bangsa Foundation, among others, was mostly
attended by university students from Jakarta and Bandung.
Among the those taking part in the parade were members of
student organizations from Mercu Buana University, Trisakti
University and Bina Nusantara University.
Noted poet Willy S. Rendra took part in an event titled Be
Just My Country, Unite My People.
A march to the National Monument, some 10 kilometers to the
north, began at about 3:30 p.m.
March participants stopped near the Semanggi cloverleaf and
spread flower petals in remembrance of those "student heroes" who
died in clashes with security personnel in front of Atma Jaya
University.
" ... those reformist chameleons who used to overpower the
country, now they are pretending to fight for the people ... we
are deceived by freedom without democracy ...," Rendra read his
poetry near the cloverleaf.
In his reading, Rendra conveyed a message of peace, calling on
the community to refrain from violence, because in the end they
were not the ones who would benefit.
Police redirected traffic into one lane to allow hundreds of
city residents from all walks of life to assemble along the
street to watch the parade. The police also were seen securing
the streets.
After the stop at the Semanggi cloverleaf, the march proceeded
to the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle. A group of 80 people from
the Yadika Marching Band were giving a performance in front of
the Grand Hyatt Hotel when the parade participants approached.
A dance troupe, Belpas, waited at the traffic circle to join
the parade.
Belpas, which performed the barongsai lion dance, also
conveyed a message of peace. Several banners attached to the
sides of the buses carrying the dancers, carried calls to
maintain the peace.
After Belpas completed its performance, most of the parade
participants took buses to the National Monument (Monas), where a
huge stage was set up. The 10-meter-by-15-meter stage was
highlighted with huge white screens on each side.
Celebrities taking to the stage included Doel Sumbang,
Elpamas, Sawung Djabo and Kantata Takwa, while Setiawan Djody
delivered a political speech.
They sent a unified message to the community to eradicate
political corruption and crime.
Meanwhile, hundreds of street vendors benefited from the large
crowd that gathered to watch the performances. (07)