Suherdjoko, Semarang – A coalition of street children, housewives, students and activists took to the street for a rally here on Friday against rampant people trafficking across the country.

A similar rally also took place in Medan, the North Sumatra capital. The rallies were held in conjunction with the signing of a United Nations protocol to prevent or stop the trafficking of people and to bring perpetrators to court.

Waving two large banners reading "People are not for sale" and "Stop children and women trafficking," demonstrators in Semarang, Central Java, urged all elements of society to say no to such practices.

They called the illegal practice a "new form of slavery in the era of modern society".

The demonstrators marched from the Air Mancur traffic circle on Jl. Pahlawan in Semarang and stopped before the gubernatorial office.

"We call for public awareness of rampant people trafficking in the country committed by people out for their own interests. We also call all elements of society and the government to join hands to combat the illegal practice and bring the perpetrators to court," said Emmy LS, coordinator of the coalition.

The coalition groups, among others, the Indonesia Against Child Trafficking (ACTs), the Solo Brotherhood Foundation, Satara Semarang, the Yogyakarta-based Kusuma Buana Foundation, the Women's Legal Aid Foundation (LBH Apik) and Samen Yogyakarta.

"The government should promote policies and pursue a method to stop the practice. And if it fails, then we call it a human rights violation," Emmy added.

In Medan, hundreds of school-aged children also took to the streets to criticize the local administration for its lack of action in preventing the trafficking of children and women in the city, Antara reported.

The rallying children were accompanied by activists from various local non-governmental organizations involved in social issues.

"Look into child trafficking cases" and "Don't sell your children to irresponsible hands" were among the words written on banners that the children carried during the rally.

An official from the North Sumatra Center of Information and Child Education, Dedi Sofyan, disclosed on Friday that the number of women and children being trafficked from the city to neighboring countries was cause for concern.

"Therefore, the government and relevant parties should stop organized crimes that victimize women and children for sexual exploitation," he said.