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.