Tens of thousands of Muslim hardiners yesterday called for Jakarta’s Christian governor to be prosecuted for blasphemy in a massive demonstration in the Indonesian capital, sparking fears of violence and putting authorities on alert.
A sea of protesters wearing white Islamic robes swarmed the city’s largest mosque before taking to the streets in a huge show of force against Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, who is accused of insulting Islam.
The protest was triggered by accusations that Purnama, better known by his nickname Ahok, insulted Islam by criticizing opponents who used Koranic references to attack him ahead of an election in February.
Photo: EPA
Hardliners have called for his death as yesterday’s turnout — estimated by police at 50,000 — eclipsed a similar protest last month that drew 10,000 chanting demonstrators to city hall.
Police spokesman Boy Rafli Amar said there were no reports of violence.
Police took no chances in the lead up to the protest, deploying 18,000 officers amid fears that radical elements could infiltrate the march.
“The protest must be orderly, and avoid anarchy and emotion. The rule of law must remain in force,” the police communications department tweeted.
The military warned it was ready to back police if things turned ugly, with helicopters flying low over the city, and extra troops stationed at key government buildings reinforced with razor wire and armored vehicles.
Some foreign embassies warned their citizens to steer clear of the demonstration.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo this week met with religious and political leaders to issue a unified call against violence, while police sought to ease tensions by holding prayer sessions and calling for peace on social media.
However, anger at Purnama, who is Jakarta’s second Christian governor and the first from the country’s ethnic Chinese community, has spread beyond the capital, with solidarity marches held across Java and in cities as far away as Makassar in Indonesia’s east.
The governor stoked fury in September when he told a crowd they had been “deceived” by his opponents, who had used a Koranic verse to try to put them off voting for a Christian.
He later apologized, but has faced persistent allegations of blasphemy, prohibited by law in Indonesia.
“Our holy book has been insulted so I felt moved to join. Ahok must be prosecuted,” said protester Zulfikar, who like many Indonesians goes by just one name.
Others displayed signs stating “big no for blasphemy” and “detain and prosecute the blasphemer Ahok.”
NO HUMAN ERROR: After the incident, the Coast Guard Administration said it would obtain uncrewed aerial vehicles and vessels to boost its detection capacity Authorities would improve border control to prevent unlawful entry into Taiwan’s waters and safeguard national security, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday after a Chinese man reached the nation’s coast on an inflatable boat, saying he “defected to freedom.” The man was found on a rubber boat when he was about to set foot on Taiwan at the estuary of Houkeng River (後坑溪) near Taiping Borough (太平) in New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口), authorities said. The Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) northern branch said it received a report at 6:30am yesterday morning from the New Taipei City Fire Department about a
IN BEIJING’S FAVOR: A China Coast Guard spokesperson said that the Chinese maritime police would continue to carry out law enforcement activities in waters it claims The Philippines withdrew its coast guard vessel from a South China Sea shoal that has recently been at the center of tensions with Beijing. BRP Teresa Magbanua “was compelled to return to port” from Sabina Shoal (Xianbin Shoal, 仙濱暗沙) due to bad weather, depleted supplies and the need to evacuate personnel requiring medical care, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Jay Tarriela said yesterday in a post on X. The Philippine vessel “will be in tiptop shape to resume her mission” after it has been resupplied and repaired, Philippine Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who heads the nation’s maritime council, said
REGIONAL STABILITY: Taipei thanked the Biden administration for authorizing its 16th sale of military goods and services to uphold Taiwan’s defense and safety The US Department of State has approved the sale of US$228 million of military goods and services to Taiwan, the US Department of Defense said on Monday. The state department “made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale” to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US for “return, repair and reshipment of spare parts and related equipment,” the defense department’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a news release. Taiwan had requested the purchase of items and services which include the “return, repair and reshipment of classified and unclassified spare parts for aircraft and related equipment; US Government
More than 500 people on Saturday marched in New York in support of Taiwan’s entry to the UN, significantly more people than previous years. The march, coinciding with the ongoing 79th session of the UN General Assembly, comes close on the heels of growing international discourse regarding the meaning of UN Resolution 2758. Resolution 2758, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1971, recognizes the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the “only lawful representative of China.” It resulted in the Republic of China (ROC) losing its seat at the UN to the PRC. Taiwan has since been excluded from