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Antiwar protesters call for UN chief's resignation

Source
Jakarta Post - March 29, 2003

Jakarta – Hundreds of Indonesians protested in several cities on Friday against the US invasion of Iraq, with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan as well as President George Bush coming in for criticism.

More than 1,000 members of the Muslim-based Justice Party shouted "God is Great" and "USA go to hell" during a noisy protest at Makassar, South Sulawesi, ElShinta radio reported. About 100 people from the Alliance of Muslim Students picketed a McDonald's restaurant in Yogyakarta, Central Java.

"Kofi Annan must resign because he has no power over Bush. We reject all forms of imperialism," one said. Protesters also urged Indonesia to sever ties with the US and called for a boycott of US goods.

In Jakarta, dozens of people massed outside the UN mission and similarly called for Annan to step down. They carried antiwar posters, including several reading, "The UN has no power".

At Mataram, Lombok island, demonstrators urged the UN to "try, by whatever means necessary" to stop the war in Iraq. They laterset fire to an effigy of Bush, AFP reported.

President Megawati Soekarnoputri's government has denounced the US-led invasion of Iraq as an illegal act of aggression, but has warned protesters not to engage in violent demonstration.

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