Police, FPI vow to continue fight in court

Police, FPI vow to continue fight in court

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

After a bloody clash on Monday, leaders of the Islam Defenders
Front (FPI) and the city police met at the Ministry of Religious
Affairs on Tuesday, with both refusing to back down and instead
vowing to continue their fight in court.

In a media conference held after the 15-minute meeting hosted
by Minister of Religious Affairs Said Agiel Munawar, FPI chairman
Habib M. Rizieq Syihab said his organization would file suit
against the police for the mistreatment of FPI protesters on
Monday.

"Let the law be the 'commander'. I also appeal to all
activists throughout the country not to make Monday's incident a
reason to take offensive actions," he told the media conference,
which city police chief Insp. Sofjan Jacoeb did not attend.

Hundreds of FPI members staging an anti-U.S. demonstration at
the House of Representatives compound on Monday clashed with the
police after they refused a police order to disperse.

Dozens of people were injured, including several journalists
whose film and cameras were seized and damaged by the police.

Some media companies whose journalists were allegedly
assaulted by the police also plan to sue the police.

City police spokesman Sr. Comr. Anton Bahrul Alam said after
the meeting on Tuesday that the police had arrested 12 protesters
on Monday, and all of them had been named suspects for
deliberately ignoring the order to disperse.

"So far we have taken firm action in handling demonstrations
in compliance with the regulations. It's their right to hold a
rally, but they chose the wrong day," he told journalists before
leaving the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

Monday was a public holiday, and by law no demonstrations are
allowed on public holidays.

"We have also taken stern actions against the police officers
who assaulted and seized civilians' property," Anton added.

In a surprising twist, Rizieq said FPI members had not
searched for foreigners and would not do so in the future.

"There is no 'sweeping' against expatriates here. There is no
evidence of it. The issue is only talk," he added.

The statement contradicts a previous statement he made saying
that the FPI would drive Americans out of the country if the U.S.
did not stop its air strikes against Afghanistan.

Rizieq, nevertheless, vowed that the FPI would continue its
anti-U.S. demonstrations as an expression of solidarity from
Indonesian Muslims with Afghans who suffered the most from the
U.S. military campaign in Afghanistan.

Anti-U.S. demonstrations continued to color the capital on
Tuesday, with demonstrators still concentrated outside the U.S.
Embassy. However, their number was smaller compared with previous
days.

Anti-U.S. rallies also occurred in a number of other cities.
The most notable demonstration took place in Makassar, South
Sulawesi, where scores of students of Hasanuddin University again
blocked the campus entrance.

The students' action apparently prevented thousands of other
students, lecturers and university employees from entering the
campus.

The protesting students said their actions were their
expression against U.S. violence and Jakarta Police brutality
against their Muslim brothers in the FPI on Monday.

In his speech, protest coordinator Irwan apologized for
blocking the campus entrance.

"We will continue to oppose the U.S.-led attacks against
Afghanistan as well as Indonesian Police action to arrest fellow
citizens," said Irwan.

Hasanuddin University deputy rector Amran Razak said he
understood the students' aspirations but the university would not
allow its entrance to be blocked again.