Militant groups rally outside U.S. embassy against attacks on Afghanistan
Militant groups rally outside U.S. embassy against attacks on Afghanistan
Damar Harsanto and Hanifah Abu, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Over a thousand demonstrators from several militant groups
here staged rallies on Monday in front of the heavily guarded
U.S. Embassy, protesting the U.S.-led strikes against Afghanistan
which they called a form of terrorism.
The protesters represented various organizations across
Jakarta including the Association of Islamic Students (HMI), the
Indonesian Muslim Movement (GPI), the Indonesian Muslim Workers
Union (PPMI), a Muslim women's group Yayasan Da'wah Ummahatul
Muslimah, Islam Defenders Front (FPI) and HAMMAS.
Ali Nurman, chairman of HMI's Jakarta branch said that the
demonstration on Monday was only an initial step to rally against
the U.S. "We will come again on Friday in larger numbers," he
vowed.
The demonstrations began at 1:30 p.m. with about 300 students
of HMI, led by Ali.
The protesters, many of them carrying sharpened bamboos sticks
with banners attached to them, could not get close to the embassy
as the police had installed a barbed wire barricade in front of
the compound at 9:30 a.m.
Two armored vehicles and one police truck were seen parked
near the embassy, while hundreds of police tightly guarded the
embassy in two lines: one outside the gates, while another stood
behind the barbed wire with batons and shields.
The demonstration proceeded relatively peacefully, marked by
only minor incidents. At 4:30 p.m., some students of HAMMAS set
fire to an American flag and stamped on it, but did not continue
further destructive actions.
Demonstrators almost clashed with police when an FPI protester
tried to stop plainclothes police from examining an FPI car. The
quarrel drew attention and raised tension among the crowd, but
the police managed to calm the protesters.
FPI coordinator Siradj Alwi said his group would camp outside
the embassy, saying that they had provided food for members.
"We will camp here for several days until our demands are met,"
he told reporters.
All the groups were united in condemning the U.S. attacks, but
divided in their stance over "sweeps" on American people and
whether or not the government should sever diplomatic ties with
the U.S.
FPI and Hammas strongly supported the call by the Indonesian
Ulema's Council for the government to break diplomatic relations
with the U.S., while others maintained a softer stance on the
issue.
"We urge the government to terminate its ties with the U.S.
and its Western allies," FPI said in a statement to the media.
It also called for its members to dispatch "mujahidins"
(soldiers ready for jihad) to Afghanistan to help the country and
Islam.
FPI and Hammas also distributed brochures urging the public to
hold sweeps on all American people here.
But other groups disagreed with their stance, saying it would
backfire on Islam as a peaceful religion. "I don't agree with the
sweeps on Americans as it will damage Islam's image as a religion
which propagates peace and love," Aliyah, 71, a coordinator of
Yayasan Da'wah said.
Sharing a similar concern with Aliyah, Ali said his group also
condemned such actions, saying that it would denigrate Islam into
a violent movement. "Such a move should not be taken," he told
reporters.
Meanwhile, Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso called on Jakarta
residents not to overreact over the U.S. attack against
Afghanistan.
"We ask the public to remain calm. If they want to conduct
demonstrations, it should be conducted according to procedures,"
said Sutiyoso.
He said the administration urged residents not to conduct
"sweeping' or any violence against foreigners, promising that the
administration would help provide security for foreigners.
He said any violence against foreigners and their assets would
ruin Indonesia's reputation.
"We will suffer losses if we react emotionally and express our
solidarity through violence," the governor said after meeting
religious leaders at City Hall.