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Thousands to join upcoming rally
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Hundreds of Islam Defenders Front (FPI) members stage a rally in front of the National Police headquarters in South Jakarta on Jan. 16.
(Antara/Reno Esnir)
T
housands of members of Islamic organizations plan to join a rally in the capital on Feb. 11, ahead of the cooling off period before the regional elections, police officials confirmed on Tuesday.
The police have received a letter from the hard-line group Muslim Peoples Forum (FUI) informing them that around 10,000 people would be hitting Jakarta’s streets on Saturday, National Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Martinus Sitompul said on Tuesday. The protest will begin in the morning, with protesters marching from the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle to the National Monument (Monas) in Central Jakarta.
Several hard-line Muslim groups, such as the Islam Defenders Front and FUI under the National Movement to Safeguard the Indonesian Ulema Council's Fatwa (GNPF-MUI) had previously announced that they would conduct rallies on Feb. 11, 12 and 15. The protestors also plan to hold a joint prayer before the rally.
The General Elections Commission (KPU) has declared Feb. 12 to 14 the cooling-off period before voting day on Feb. 15.
Meanwhile, National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar said the police had urged protestors not to raise political issues as the planned rallies would be held close to the regional elections.
“We will not prohibit any religious activities, but in terms of any political agenda, please follow the regulations issued by the KPU. Don’t conduct the rally if it violates election regulations,” he told journalists at the National Police headquarters. (dis/rin)
