[Kabar-indonesia] Indonesian group stages pro-Bush rally [2 Articles]

[Joyo2]

also: Bush Indonesia visit gets rare support, reality check

Indonesian group stages pro-Bush rally

BOGOR, November 15 (AFP) -- In a scene odd for Indonesia,
about 50 people staged a street rally here in support of the
upcoming visit of US President George W. Bush.

"Welcome to Indonesia, Mr Bush. Do not pressure Indonesia
..." said a banner displayed by the pro-Bush protesters on
the sidewalk of a busy roundabout in this hill town which
will host a meeting between Bush and Indonesian President
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono Monday.

A statement they distributed said the protestors were from a
group linked to the Red-and-White Force, a pro-government
youth group.

"As a nation that is not against democracy, there is nothing
wrong to act wisely and welcome the visit of Bush, as long
as the dignity of the nation is not put at a disadvantage,"
the statement said.

Not far from them, a group of about 100 Muslim students and
unionists took part in a more standard protest against the
visit.

The students, from the Indonesian Muslim Student
Associations (KAMMI) earlier in the day held a joint prayer
that they said had asked God not to punish Indonesia for
hosting the visit.

Anti-Bush protests, each involving groups of between 50 and
100 students, were reported in Yogyakarta in Central Java,
Medan in North Sumatra, Manado in North Sulawesi, and Palu,
the capital of the restive Indonesian province of Central
Sulawesi.

Bush's planned visit to the world's largest Muslim nation
has been widely protested by most Muslims here, with daily
street demonstrations as well as threatened no-confidence
motion against Yudhoyono.

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Bush Indonesia visit gets rare support, reality check

By Dadang Tri

BOGOR, Indonesia, November 15 (Reuters) - Around 100
demonstrators rallied on Wednesday in favour of United
States President George W. Bush's trip to Indonesia next
week, already the subject of scores of protests by those
opposed. The U.S. embassy in Indonesia, the world's most
populous Muslim country, has warned that protests over the
brief Nov. 20 visit could turn violent.

Bush will meet President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in Bogor,
and groups ranging from radical Muslims to leftist students
have staged rallies in cities across Indonesia criticising
Bush, Yudhoyono and U.S. policy, although most
demonstrations have been small, seldom crossing the 100
mark.

Aside from citing such usual targets as U.S. actions in
Iraq, critics have said massive security preparations ahead
of the visit are over the top.

Preparations include construction of a helipad in the 87-
hectare Bogor botanical gardens where the meeting's state
palace venue is located, and plans for thousands of security
forces to be on hand.

Wednesday's Bogor protesters -- carrying a large American
flag and banners showing the Stars-and-Stripes and red-and-
white flag of Indonesia -- had a different point of view.

"We are obligated to receive our guests properly. As a
cultured nation, we have manners and any visitor should be
treated like a guest," said rally leader Unitaryo, adding
his group is unaffiliated to any political or religious
institution. A top official from the umbrella body
representing Islamic clerics in Indonesia said last week
Bush was not welcome because his policies had hurt Muslims,
while some senior politicians have joined the chorus
criticising the cost of security arrangements.

However, a U.S. official in Jakarta suggested this week it
was the criticism of the arrangements that was over the top.

"People write stories about security when they don't have
anything else to write about," he told reporters.

"You have security because there are nasty people out there
trying to kill people," said the official, who declined to
be identified.

Indonesia has seen several deadly bomb attacks in recent
years directed against Western-linked targets and blamed on
Islamic militants. The worst, in Bali four years ago, killed
202 people, mostly foreign tourists.

SPECIAL TREATMENT

Defence Minister Juwono Sudarsono had told reporters on
Tuesday that Indonesians need to understand special
treatment is part and parcel of any visit from a U.S.
president.

"Like it or not, wherever the U.S. president goes a set of
special security arrangements will follow because (of) the
weight of this country. We just have to understand that
reality," he said.

In Bogor, set in foothills some 50 kms (30 miles) south of
Jakarta, residents have grumbled about the preparations and
restrictions they have to face for the Bush visit.

"Nobody wants to sacrifice for him. But this is an order
from (Jakarta) and Bogor is just playing host," said a Bogor
government official who closely follows the preparations.

He said some schools, shops and government offices as well
as many bus routes might be closed for the day although Bush
would only arrive in the afternoon.

One reason preparations and security may be drawing
attention is because the meeting itself does not promise to
be particularly exciting. Neither side suggests it will
achieve huge diplomatic breakthroughs.

In many key bilateral areas, such as working against violent
militants in Southeast Asia, Jakarta and Washington are
already on the same page, while on some topics they are
unlikely to press one another hard for a change of heart.

The Indonesian government has been a staunch critic of U.S.
policy in Iraq and Israel, and anti-American sentiment among
the public has grown during the Bush administration.
(Additional reporting by Telly Nathalia, Ami Liem and Jerry
Norton in JAKARTA)

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Joyo Indonesia News Service
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