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FPI limits rally to Monas

Jakarta Post - November 29, 2016

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Indra Budiari, Haeril Halim and Suherdjoko, Jakarta/Semarang – A combination of tough security and legal threats and negotiation by the police is believed to have been instrumental in persuading Muslim groups to drop their previous plan to hold mass Friday prayers at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle on Dec. 2.

After a series of meetings with Rizieq Shihab, the firebrand leader of the National Movement to Safeguard the Indonesia Ulema Council's Fatwa (GNPF-MUI) and Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) chairman Ma'ruf Amin as well as intensive consultations with major Islamic organizations, the National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian said on Monday that Friday's protest would be conducted within the confines of National Monument (Monas) Square.

"Eventually we agreed that the Dec. 2 action will be held at Monas from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m.," Tito said after meeting with Ma'ruf and Rizieq on Monday.

The police chief explained there would be no rally on Friday and instead the mass activity would consist only of dzikir (mass chants in praise of God), sermons and Friday prayers.

"We hope the solemnity of the religious activity will not be disrupted or damaged by chants of protest," Tito said, adding that he would have a meeting with the Jakarta administration to discuss the technical details of Friday's protest.

Tito added that he had coordinated with Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gatot Nurmantyo in ensuring the safety and security of the event.

"We will prepare the site, which can accommodate between 600,000 and 700,000 people. If that is still not enough space we can also prepare Jl. Merdeka Selatan," said Tito.

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo launched an intensive political tour, including meetings with prominent Muslim leaders and major political parties, to ease tensions ahead of the massive protest. The police also told labor union leaders to cancel their planned participation in the rally, saying the government had been very accommodating toward workers' demands for higher wages.

Earlier Rizieq, who is also leader of the hard-line Islam Defenders Front (FPI), boasted that no one could stop him or the protesters from conducting their Friday prayers at the iconic Jakarta location despite police orders to drop the plan because it would disrupt traffic and public order.

"The stark differences between us [protesters and police] had become a national-, even international-, scale polemic. Now we've finally been able to listen to each other's reasoning and arguments with clear minds," Rizieq said during Monday's press conference, which was also attended by Tito and Ma'ruf.

In exchange for the the compromise made by the protesters, the police and Rizieq agreed that regional police chiefs across the country would lift prohibitions on residents from their respective areas joining the rally in the capital as well as no longer ask transportation companies not to take the protesters to Jakarta.

Initiated by the GNPF-MUI, Muslim groups staged a mass rally on Nov. 4, demanding the prosecution of Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama, an event which many believe heavily influenced the police's decision to name the outspoken governor a blasphemy suspect.

Terrorist groups are also suspected to have made an attempt to hijack the protest. Tito said police had arrested 12 alleged terrorists, some of whom were caught with explosive materials in their possession, and who had planned to join the Nov. 4 rally.

"There are a number of groups who tried to take advantage of this large-scale mass rally, we hope that Friday's rally will be safe," Tito said.

A number of regional law enforcement officers have urged local residents not to go to Jakarta to take part in Friday's rally. Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo said he and the Central Java Police chief were ready to listen to residents' concerns about the issue.

Meanwhile, Vice President Jusuf Kalla said on Monday that the government had no intention of prohibiting anyone from taking part in the rally. However, he called on the participants to refrain from disrupting the city's daily activities.

"Friday prayers should be held in a mosque or open field. So, given that there are many mosques in Jakarta, please don't disrupt traffic and economic activity in the city," the Vice President said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/11/29/fpi-limits-rally-monas.html.