Protests spread in major cities over caricature
The Jakarta Post, Bandung, Semarang, Surabaya
Despite calls for restraint, protests intensified in the country’s main cities Monday over the publication in European media of caricatures depicting the Prophet Muhammad.
Protesters in most of the cities decried what they considered the use of freedom of the press to justify insulting Islam.
About 200 protesters from the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) in West Java town of Bandung threatened to conduct searches for Danish nationals in the country if Denmark — where the series of 12 cartoons was first published last September — did not try those responsible.
Protest coordinator Asep Syarifuddin warned that the group would transport Danes to the airport to be repatriated.
Without getting into the conversation of the caricatures, I simply abhor the fact that these protestors would threaten to “conduct searches for Danish nationals” in Indonesia. This is the kind of sh$% that angers me beyond belief. Absolutely absurd.
When George Bush invaded Iraq, should my friends and I have been escorted out of the country as well? Think about the fact that many foreign nationals not only disapprove of their leader’s actions, but are completely upset with the decisions leaders make while representing their country.
I am truly disappointed to see the level of threats taken against these foreigners who may have lived here most of their lives and/or have Indonesian family members under their love and care.
– Disenchanted in Jakarta.
I just find people who include religion in a cartoon and consider it as a joke are a bad jokers ever :@
I understand what you mean – that’s why this post wasn’t about the cartoons, but rather the extreme response that some radical Indonesians have shown against the expats living halfway around the world.
Today I heard that the Danes are pulling out of Indonesia. I think in the end, this actually makes Indonesia look quite bad. It’s too bad that any of this had to happen.
where are you living currently? I need to read more news about indonesia since i’m really not up to date about it. I’m going to bookmark jakarta post
Sorry for the late reply – aku tinggal di Kelapa Gading.