Jakarta – Members of the United National Liberation Party (Papernas) on Wednesday reported the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) and Islam Defense Warriors to the city police for attacking them in a rally last week.

Accompanied by lawyers from the Jakarta chapter of the Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta), 17 members of the new leftist party, Papernas told police they were physically assaulted during a rally on Thursday last week on Jl. Sudirman, Central Jakarta.

The 2,000 supporters and members of Papernas were on the way to Hotel Shangri-La to protest a meeting on the Millenium Development Goals and the newly passed Foreign Investment Law when members of the two organizations attacked them.

"Police must arrest the leaders of these organizations," Roder Nababan, coordinator of the advocacy team from LBH Jakarta, said at city police headquarters.

The FPI is led by Habib Muhammad Rizieq while the LPI is led by Habib Muhammad Assegaf. In 2002 Rizieq was sentenced to seven months' jail for attacking a bar in Kemang, South Jakarta.

Roder said Papernas had been given permission by police to hold the rally, therefore he regretted they had failed to protect the victims when the incident took place.

One of the victims, 56-year-old Sri Mulyati, a resident of Cengkareng, West Jakarta, said she was hit in the head and hand during the assault. Siswoyo, 78, also from Cengkareng, said he had sustained a head injury after the minibus he was in was attacked.