Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, Jakarta – An antiwar rally here ended in the arrest of four foreign and two Indonesian participants on Wednesday while they were expressing solidarity for the Acehnese people who have seen violence return to their home soil.
The arrest took place when about 50 demonstrators marched to the presidential palace after a rally in front of the United States Embassy, where they protested what they called the American occupation of Iraq.
Dozens of riot police dispersed the demonstrators, who included members of the Democratic People's Party (PRD), the National Democratic Students League (LMND), the Indonesian Transportation Workers Union and the Democratic Students Network.
The four foreigners were Australian Nick Everett and Kylie Moon of the Walk Against War Coalition, South African Lydia Cairncross of the Antiwar Coalition and Yong Chan of South Korea. They are being detained at the Central Jakarta Police Station.
Also arrested were Zeli Ariane, chairwoman of Jakarta chapter of PRD and an unidentified labor union activist, but their whereabouts remain unknown, according to rally organizer Natalia Scholastika.
Deputy chief of Central Jakarta Police, Adj. Sr. Comr. Ricky F. Wakanno, said the demonstrators violated the law by taking part in a street protest. But as of Wednesday evening, no charges had been filed.
The foreign activists, who had taken part in the global antiwar movement following the US-led attack on Iraq, are in Jakarta to attend an international peace conference which concluded on Wednesday. They come from 23 countries.
Foreign participants of the conference are expected to leave on Friday at the latest.
"We suspect the police took tough measures against us because we support self-determination for the Acehnese," Natalia told The Jakarta Post. She said the rally organizer had notified the police of the conference and the street rally, as required by the 1998 law on freedom of expression.
During the media briefing earlier in the day, Indonesian participant Dita Indah Sari said the conference resulted in a joint statement against the military offensive and the imposition of martial law in Aceh.
"We demand the continuation of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement and the will to settle the conflict involving wider participation of Acehnese civil society," labor activist Dita said.
A participant from Italy, Rafaella Bollini of the Coordination of the European Social Forum, said the antiwar group avoided applying double standards on Aceh. "We condemn every use of force which targets civilians or schools," she said.