Thousands stage noisy anti-American protest

Thousands stage noisy anti-American protest

JAKARTA (JP): About 4,000 students and young Moslems staged a
noisy but peaceful demonstration outside the American embassy
here yesterday, condemning Washington for vetoing a pro-
Palestinian draft resolution at the United Nations.

But while the protest proceeded in an orderly manner, over in
Yogyakarta a smaller protest on the campus of Gadjah Mada
University campus burnt American and Israeli flags.

The demonstration in Jakarta was one of the biggest seen in
the Indonesian capital in recent years. The handful of anti-riot
police officers stationed outside the embassy were far too
outnumbered to disperse the crowd.

Jl. Merdeka Selatan, where the embassy is located, was blocked
during the one-hour demonstration. There were no arrests and the
protesters dispersed voluntarily after three of their leaders
were received by embassy officials to present a statement.

None of the major Moslem organizations usually identified with
such protests claimed responsibility.

The students, who came from at least four universities, called
themselves the Front Against Zionist Israel. They arrived in two
groups. The male students came from the direction of the Gambir
railway station while the female students, all wearing Moslem
veils, came from the opposite direction.

Chanting Allahu Akbar (God is Great) and singing patriotic
songs, they unfurled banners and waved placards condemning the
United States and Israel. One banner read "The U.S. is the slave
of Zionist Israel" while another said "The U.S. has caused the
emergence of all criminal activities in the world".

They also shouted "Khaibar, Khaibar" in reference to an
ancient Jewish settlement, Khaibar, which was conquered by the
Prophet Muhammad in the Hijra year 7.

"We are also calling on the U.S. to stop serving the Jewish
lobby," Teddy Mamesa, one of the protest organizers, said.

"U.S., quit your double standard in dealing with the Islamic
world and the developing countries," the students chanted.

They also called for Indonesian solidarity with the
Palestinian cause and for the government to use its seat in the
Security Council more effectively.

Indonesia was one of the co-sponsors of the UN draft
resolution that condemned Israel for expropriating Palestinian
land in Jerusalem. Although the resolution had the support of 14
of the council's 15 members, it failed to be passed as the United
States used its veto power. Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali
Alatas said on Friday that Indonesia was deeply disappointed at
the United States' move.

The protest in Yogyakarta yesterday involved more than 200
students, who called themselves the Moslem Movement Against
America's Intervention.

Other than the burning of the American and Israeli flags and
the angry chants, the protest proceeded without incident.

Their posters were harsher than those in Jakarta, one reading
"(President Bill) Clinton, an international crook", another "We
support the struggle of Palestinian people", and a third "Jews,
go to hell!".

Agus Mas'udi, a student of Gadjah Mada University, said the
Clinton administration's decision to exercise its veto right was
"childish" with its rationale that "the Jerusalem question has to
be handled by Israel and Palestine alone, without external
parties' intervention". (swe/yns/02)