More than 1,000 rally at Assembly session
More than 1,000 rally at Assembly session
JAKARTA (JP): Over 1,000 people from different groups rallied
on Monday in front of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR),
voicing various demands ranging from support for the government
of President Abdurrahman Wahid to the expulsion of the
military/police faction in the nation's highest law-making body.
It was the largest demonstration since the Assembly's Annual
Session started last week. Less than 100 people had turned up on
average for previous rallies.
No incidents were reported during the rally, expect for
ensuing heavy traffic jams on access roads to the MPR compound.
In an apparent show of force, some 700 protesters linked to
the country's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama
dominated Monday's rally. They yelled support for Abdurrahman, or
Gus Dur as he widely known, who chaired the organization for 15
years before elected president last year.
"Gus Dur-Mega tergusur, rakyat siap tempur (Gus Dur-Mega
ousted, people ready to fight)," a banner read.
Al Zastrouw Ng, a former close confidant of Abdurrahman, said
the protesters were simply expressing their disappointment with
the maneuvers engaged in by Assembly members.
"This is only our way of expressing our demands. We are sick
and tired of seeing the Assembly members maneuver to topple the
President," he said.
A group of Irianese stole the show during the joint rally.
Wearing traditional costumes, the Irianese, who prefer to call
themselves Papuans, thronged the gate and asked to be admitted to
the Assembly compound.
They said they wished to deliver their demands directly to
Assembly members. But no members appeared saying that the Annual
Session had not slated a discussion on Irian Jaya's problems.
Other groups of protesters consisted mainly of students,
including the Greater Jakarta Students Council (DMJ), the Jakarta
Union of Youth and Students (SPPJ), and the Indonesian
Association of Muslim Students (PMII).
The students tried to force their way into the MPR compound,
but dozens of police personnel kept them at bay. The dejected
protesters battered the entrance gate, while chanting "revolution
to the death."
Police officers took the precaution of lying down a line of
barbed wire in case the protesters managed to break through and
enter the MPR grounds. Several officers were seen carrying tear
gas launchers.
Despite their different agendas, there were no clashes between
the protesters groups because as each of them gave sufficient
time to others to air their aspirations. (nvn)