Anita Rachman, Jakarta – For Deni Gustianto, 23, taking part in Tuesday's rally to protest the visit of US President Barack Obama was a no-brainer.

He has taken part in eight anti-Obama rallies since the first planned visit back in March, believing any visit by a US head of state will only worsen the Indonesian economic and political scene. "It's a Muslim responsibility to oppose his visit," he said. "Obama is the one who's been killing our brothers and sisters in Palestine and Iraq."

Deni was one of about 50 demonstrators rustled up by the hard-line Islamic group Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta. Threats of massive protests for the day fizzled out when only handfuls of people turned up across the city.

Abu Hasan, HTI's rally coordinator, said the group would "mobilize more crowds" today at University of Indonesia, where Obama is scheduled to give a speech.

The group managed to mobilize roughly 2,000 people for a march on Sunday, but Tuesday's no-show seemed a mystery. Hasan said HTI had also sent a letter to Istiqlal Mosque to stop Obama's visit there, also scheduled for today.

Hanif Anshorullah, a student demonstrating at the traffic circle, blamed the low turnout of protesters on a lack of conviction. "Most students nowadays are pragmatic, the idealistic ones are hard to find," he said. "But as agents of change, we need to ask the people to reject Obama."

Meanwhile, a group of Papuan students held a rally on Tuesday outside the Plaza 89 tower in Kuningan, South Jakarta, to call for the withdrawal of US mining giant Freeport McMoRan from the country's easternmost province. The students accused Freeport, whose offices are at Plaza 89, of human rights abuses and environmental destruction at the Grasberg gold and copper mine in Mimika district.

Oktovianus Pogau, one of the rally's organizers, said he hoped that voices of Papuan students would be heard by Obama and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. He added that his group would also take part in the rally at the UI. Only a handful of demonstrators showed up on Tuesday to protest Obama's visit to Indonesia.