REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Ahead of the rally on Tuesday (Feb 21), the Chairman of Indonesian Muslim Brotherhood (Parmusi) Usamah Hisyam said a number of Islamic organizations have already frustated by the government's attitude which underestimate Muslims aspirations. He recalled to the previous peaceful rallies joined by millions of Indonesian Muslims that did not get positive responds by the government and the judiciary. "In contrary, they replied it with criminalization of ulemas," he said.
Therefore, the rally is going to be held in front of the Parliamentary building. Usamah said there was no other place that can be expected except the parliamentary institution to accomodate the people aspirations, especially Muslims.
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Usamah said, if President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) did not discharged or suspend Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) from his position as Jakarta's governor, the mass would discuss the next steps with the leaders of the demonstrants. It did not close the possibility that they would stay there for three days. "During the preparatory meeting joined by 250 field coordinators, I heard they wanted to stay for three days until their demand were met," said Usamah in the Parliament Building on Monday (Feb 20) after asking for permission to the legislators to staged a rally on Tuesday.
Usamah reminded that 528 regents and cities would be turbulent if the President did not meet their demands. They demanded Ahok to be discharged as Jakarta's governor because he had been a defendant of a blasphemy case. The 212 rally phase II held to demand the imprisonment of Ahok as defendant of religious blasphemy. The mass also asked the government to stopped the criminalization of ulemas. The last one was to asked the government to stopped arresting student activists.
He also requested Jokowi to remember his prayer in Baitullah during his pilgrimage on July 2014. Jokowi once said he would be in the side of the ummah.
Meanwhile, the National Police have indicated that the demonstration would led to a provocation. He reminded the coordinators of 212 rally to keep it peaceful. "We got an indication that the demonstration led to a provocative action, to an anarchic circumstance," said the Head of Public Relations of the National Police Boy Rafli Amar.
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