Indonesia: 5 Activists Arrested Ahead of Anti-Ahok Rally

Tia Asmara
2017.03.31
Jakarta
170331-IN-rally-620.jpg Indonesian police block a road leading to the Presidential Palace as Muslims take part in a protest to demand that Jakarta Gov. Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama be jailed for alleged blasphemy against Islam, March 31, 2017.
AFP

Indonesian police Friday announced the arrests of five people, including the leader of the hardline Muslim People’s Forum (FUI), for suspected treason ahead of a rally hosted by the group calling for the removal of Jakarta’s ethnic Chinese Christian governor.

Friday’s rally in the Indonesian capital drew far smaller crowds than ones staged in recent months when protesters demanded Jakarta Gov. Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama be removed and arrested because of alleged anti-Muslim comments that led to a blasphemy charge against him. Ahok, a member of Muslim-dominated Indonesia’s tiny ethnic Chinese minority, is competing in a run-off vote in the gubernatorial election on April 19.

Jakarta Police spokesman Argo Yuwono identified FUI Secretary General Muhammad al-Khaththath, who was picked up in a Jakarta hotel, as one of the five suspects arrested on Thursday night.

“Yes, last night we arrested five people in different locations. We arrested them based on a report from people, and because there are elements of conspiracy to commit treason,” Argo told BenarNews.

Also arrested were activists identified as Zainudin Arsyad, Irwansyah, Dikho Nugraha and Andry. Police seized mobile phones and documents as evidence, according to Argo.

“They were all sent to Mako Brimob,” said Argo, referring to a Police Mobile Brigade Command detention center in Kelapa Dua, Depok, near Jakarta.

The police spokesman told TVOne that the five were arrested based on “several findings, including a plan to occupy the Indonesian parliament.”

Earlier on Thursday, al-Khaththath held a press conference at the Baiturrachman Mosque in South Jakarta to discuss Friday’s rally, dubbed 313-Action, referring to March 31.

Small crowd

While organizers had predicted that 100,000 people would turn out to demand the arrest and removal of Ahok for alleged anti-Islam blasphemy, only a few thousand people gathered at the Horse Statue, a Central Jakarta landmark, Argo said.

“We purposely confined them there,” Argo said. “This is to avoid a demonstration too close to the Presidential Palace.”

Ahok has been standing trial for allegedly insulting Islam when he quoted a passage from the Quran at a public event in September, in a way that was seen as defamatory to the religion.

The former deputy governor to now-Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, faces a run-off election to retain his office on April 19 against a Muslim candidate, former education minister Anies Baswedan. Ahok was the leading vote-getter in the first round of the election in February, but did not get more than 50 percent of ballots cast, forcing the run-off against the second-place candidate.

Previous rallies by conservative Islamic groups demanding Ahok’s arrest drew much larger crowds.

A rally on Nov. 4, 2016 organized by Muslim conservative groups claimed to draw more than 100,000 protesters. The rally started peacefully but turned violent in the evening as dozens of police and protesters were injured. On Dec. 2, 2016, another rally drew thousands of protesters who remained peaceful.

Government minister meeting

The 313-Action protest began at 2 p.m. at the Horse Statue after protesters finished Friday prayers at Jakarta’s Istiqlal National Mosque. The rally featured about three hours of speeches.

Afterward, 15 protest organizers met with Wiranto, Indonesia’s coordinating minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, in his office.

“The president assigned me to receive the representatives of the demonstration,” said Wiranto,  emphasizing that Jokowi’s absence did not mean he neglected Muslims.

Wiranto pointed out that many demonstrations are held around the Presidential Palace, but not all demonstrators get to meet with the nation’s leader.

“Because we considered this demonstration as important, we received you,” Wiranto said.

Regarding protesters demands against Ahok, Wiranto said the government was not siding with any party and would not interfere with the ongoing trial or upcoming election.

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