Protesters burn effigy of Interfet commander
JAKARTA (JP): There were a series of rallies over the weekend in which people protested a variety of issues.
Most of the groups held their protests at the increasingly popular traffic circle in front of Hotel Indonesia. The Central Jakarta hotel is accommodating some of the newly elected legislators.
On Sunday, the rallies were mostly held by supporters and opponents of the nomination of B.J. Habibie as the country's next president.
All of the rallies ended peacefully and caused no traffic congestion.
On Saturday, some 100 activists, grouped under the Communication Forum of the Children of Fighters in the East Timor Seroja Military Operation (FOKPPOST), staged a protest in front of the Australian Embassy on Jl. Rasuna Said in Kuningan, South Jakarta.
The protesters, who mostly wore Army uniforms, condemned the Australian troops involved in the United Nations International Force for East Timor (Interfet), over the latest clash between suspected pro-Indonesia militias and Interfet troops, which left two alleged militia members dead.
They burned an effigy of the commander of the multinational force, Maj. Gen. Peter Cosgrove. They also unfurled banners and posters, citing among other things, "General Cosgrove, you are a widowmaker".
A protester, who managed to climb the embassy's high steel fence after escaping a cordon of about 100 police personnel and members of the People's Security (Kamra), hung a poster which read "This building is seized by Indonesians".
The protesters also urged the government to sever diplomatic relations with Australia, claiming Australian-led Interfet intimidated Indonesia over the East Timor problem.
The group dispersed after protesting for an hour.
Meanwhile, a group of 50 activists from the Youth Front for National Mandate Advocacy staged a rally at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle, rejecting any kind of mass mobilization to pressure the upcoming presidential election in the General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).
"Staging extra legislative activity is against the principles of democracy. It will also stir unrest among people which will claim the lives of different groups of supporters of presidential candidates," a protester said.
Another protester said people should accept whoever was elected as president of the country as long as the presidential election was free of money politics.
Members of the 700-strong MPR will assemble on Oct. 20 to elect a new president and vice president and endorse the State Policy Guidelines.
The protesters unfurled posters which read: "Reject violence" and "Beware of coercing forces".
After several minutes of orations, the protesters walked around the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle at 3 p.m., sending out a message that the political elite should comply with the reform agenda.
They then met with about 60 supporters of incumbent President B.J. Habibie, grouped under Habibie's Supporter Front and Ka'bah Youth Movement, who earlier staged a demonstration at another point of the traffic circle. No clashes were reported.
Both groups dispersed in the late afternoon. (asa/bsr)