When Thousand Hundreds of Indonesian Protester Hold Reunion A Year Later
Jakarta, MINA – In commemoration of Prophet Mohammed’s birthday, known as Mawlid Nabi, as well as celebrating a year after millions of people poured to the street in protesting the ex-governor’s blashpemy case over insulting the holy Quran, the protesters reunited in the central of Jakarta on Saturday, December 2, 2017.
Citizens from various regions of Indonesia, funded themselves, arrived in the capital city since Friday night, leaving their villages by planes, ships, buses, and some others even walked to the event.
Old and young, wearing white-dominated clothes, are coming to participate in the peace gathering since 2 am. Thousands of people departed from Solo, Central Java to Jakarta to take part in the national event. They are consisted of various organisations in the Surakarta City Council.
More enthusiasm has been expressed by Sariffudin (45), from Purwakarta, West Java to reunite with alumni 212 from other regions. “I deliberately come to Jakarta yesterday Friday 1 December 2017. I want to take part in the history,” he said.
Meanwhile, Subhan with his neighbours in Banten Province, even ordered buses to get arrived in the capital city on time.
The event started in early morning, marked with mass lail prayer (late night prayer) in the biggest mosque in the capital, Istiqlal, followed by mass shalawat (prayer singing for prophet) with harmony and peace.
Despite allegation that the mass reunion of “212 Alumni”, refers to the date, is created by radical groups in shattering the country’s unity, the reunion was formed ‘accidentally’ by hundreds of Indonesian Muslim organisations from various regions.
Apart from that, although there are also speculations that the event is politicized by certain political parties to gather support in the next 2019 election, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of ‘212 Reunion’, Misbahul Anam stressed out that there is no a single shred of fund of Political Party in the implementation of the national event.
“We are the committee stated that this event costs billions of rupiah, the money comes from Muslims, from the alumni of 212. I affirm that there is no money from political parties,” said Misbahul Anam in front of thousands of people in Monas, Jakarta, Saturday (2/12).
In fact, according to him, it will be very loss if the reunion event is ridden by political interests. Because it certainly can tarnish the Muslims who participated in the event. “If anyone says the funds from the party and the event is ridden by political parties, it is a cruel acussation,” he added.
Meanwhile, Jakarta Metro Police deployed 35 thousand Brimob personnels to secure the reunion event accros Jakarta. There is also thirteen health posts that have been prepared voluntarily by medical personnels in support the event.
Jakarta current governor Anies Baswedan called the event as a proof of peace and unity life in Indonesia, and mentioned that Muslim in Indonesia held the peace rally in dignity and fair.
“Dear brothers and sisters, last year you gathered here, you know, brothers and sisters last year have been disappointing for the pessimists. Those who are pessimists, that the gathering of the masses will cause violence, unbalanced, but you are present in peace, comfort, and shade, all of you today are obliged to do that,” Baswedan stated in his speech in front of the mass.
Former Speaker of the House of Representatives (MPR) Amien Rais, Vice Chairman of the House of Representatives (DPR) Fadli Zon and Fahri Hamzah, MPR Deputy Speaker Hidayat Nur Wahid and PKS President Shohibul Iman and others national figures appear on the stage.
The event ended with the zuhur prayer calling and the millions people held mass prayer in the Monas area and some ended it with prayer in Istiqlal mosque.(L/RE1/Manda)
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
