Sex workers pray for peaceful poll

SURABAYA: No less than 500 sex workers operating in six red- light districts across the East Java capital of Surabaya gathered on Sunday for a mass prayer, to pray for a peaceful presidential election.

The women, dressed in Muslim attire and head scarfs, many seen carrying the Koran, looked pensive when local cleric Ahmad Muhajit delivered his sermon. Some of the sex workers shed tears while chanting the verses.

Event organizer Muhammad Suhandri said the mass prayer was aimed at campaigning for Muslim solidarity, in particular with those neglected by the community such as sex workers. He said the event carried no political objectives, although an Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle executive in charge of women's affairs Tri Andjarwati was in attendance. -- JP