Thousands protest for peace in Indonesia, Lebanon, Syria
SURABAYA (Indonesia), March 9: A prayer rally in the province of East Java in Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-populated country, attracted hundreds of thousands of Muslims on Sunday to pray for peace and a non-violent end to the Iraqi crisis.
An open field across from the provincial military command in provincial capital Surabaya teemed with people gathered for the two-hour “national” mass prayer organized by the country’s largest Muslim movement, the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU).
Crowd estimates varied, with witnesses putting the numbers at between 100,000 and 500,000 and a policeman on guard who identified himself as Agus said there were more than 500,000 people in attendance at the prayer meeting in the NU stronghold.
NU Chairman Hasyim Muzadi briefly addressed the gathering and called upon Washington to refrain from attacking Iraq.
“This is for international interests. It would be better to leave this to the United Nations to handle,” Mr Muzadi told attendees and the more than 1,400 police, security and NU youth guards patrolling the event, which opened and closed without incident.
The aim of Sunday’s rally, he added, was to seek counsel from God to help ensure the safety of the nation and “prosperity” for the world.
A new “National Repentance Movement” launched by the NU would be “the start of introspection for the leaders and the nation of Indonesia,” Mr Muzadi said.
Meanwhile, popular young religious leader Abdullah Gymnastiar led a peace rally attracting 5,000 people to a park facing the tightly-guarded US embassy before handing over a letter entitled “Message of Peace for Mr Bush” to embassy officials.
Mr Gymnastiar, while refusing to divulge the contents of the letter, said its theme was a plea to the US leader to refrain from attacking Iraq.
Thousands of people prostrated themselves in the park before the embassy for several minutes, as a recording of a wailing siren, gunshots and bomb blasts were played over the loudspeakers, so that participants could “feel the suffering of people in war,” Mr Gymnastiar said.
Clad in a white robe and red turban, the religious leader carried on his back a child dressed in bloodied white as he walked across the street to the tightly-guarded US mission to deliver his letter.
“We are not angry against the people of America, but we are angry against its injustice and arrogance,” he told the crowd in the park.
“We do not like violence, we have to do something.”
He has said he did not expect a reply to his letter.
“Let Mr Bush ask his deepest conscience whether he really represents the people of the United States,” he said.
“I really fear the negative impact of war. As a human, I am worried at the dangerous attitude of Mr Bush, who so far has refused to listen to the people of the world.”
Present at the Surabaya event were Foreign Minister Hasan Wirayuda, Religious Affairs Minister Said Agil Husin al-Munawar, Defence Minister Matori Abdul Jalil, Army Chief Gen Ryamizard Ryacudu, former president Abdurrahman Wahid and several ambassador, including from Iraq.
“Hopefully, the prayers of humankind can be heard by Washington. Hopefully the ears and the eyes of the US leaders can be opened by this prayer,” Mr Wirayuda said late Saturday.
BEIRUT TO DAMASCUS: Thousands of Lebanese and Palestinians representing different political parties loyal to Syria travelled from Beirut to Damascus on Sunday to demonstrate in support of Lebanon and Syria’s stand against a possible US-led war on Iraq.
The demonstrators gathered at the Baabda Presidential Palace near Beirut and were received by Lebanese President Emile Lahoud, who told them that “using force will enhance the instability and violence around the world.”
“Any division among the Arab ranks will facilitate the implementations of certain resolutions on us and will lead to the division of our region,” Mr Lahoud said.
The president said that “only a peaceful solution based on UN resolutions will solve the Iraqi crisis.”
Demonstrators carried placards that praised the stands of Mr Lahoud and his Syrian counterpart Bashar Assad and waved pictures of both, in addition to the late Egyptian President Jamal Abdel Nasser.
The demonstration entitled “Loyalty and Dignity” then headed to the Syrian-Lebanese border on buses where it is expected to cross into Syrian territories.
The demonstration will be met by another protest in Syria at the Victoria Bridge in Damascus before going to the Syrian presidential Palace, where according to the organizers they will be met by President Assad.—Agencies
