Sex workers pray for peaceful poll

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