- Title: INDONESIA: Thousands stage rally against air strikes and Gaddafi's rule in Libya
- Date: 28th March 2011
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) PKS FOUNDER HIDAYAT NURWAHID SAYING: "We are against the aggression from the coalition which killed civilian people. We also would like to tell leaders to be fair, and care about the welfare of their people and to prevent dictatorship that can cause anger to people and lead to unrest." POSTER OF FRENCH PRESIDENT NICOLAS SARKOZY AND U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, AND MESSAGE READING "STOP THE AGGRESSION" PROTESTERS HOLDING POSTERS POSTERS PLACARD WITH GADDAFI'S PICTURE, MESSAGE READING "NO TO DICTATORSHIP" VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING
- Embargoed: 12th April 2011 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Indonesia, Indonesia
- Country: Indonesia
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVAA11VFUQ21IMI2B2H5CDT8BG8Y
- Story Text: More than 2,000 Indonesians staged a peace rally on Sunday (March 27) calling for both, an end to air strikes in Libya and the 40-year dictatorship of Muammar Gaddafi.
Carrying anti-Gaddafi and anti-coalition forces posters, protesters gathered at one of Jakarta's main square and chanted "Allahu Akbar" (God is the greatest).
Most of the protesters were from the conservative Islamic-oriented Justice Party, which has often shown it can put together large, orderly demonstrations in the world's most populous Muslim country.
"We are against the aggression from the coalition which killed civilian people. We also would like to tell leaders to be fair, and care about the welfare of their people and to prevent dictatorship that can cause anger to people and lead to unrest," said Hidayat Nurwahid, founder of the Justice Party.
Nurwahid added that the no-fly zone policy and military pressures from the coalition would worsen the situation.
A U.S.-led coalition began air strikes against Libya a week ago to establish a no-fly zone over the oil-exporting North African country to try to prevent Gaddafi from using his air force to attack people rebelling against his rule.
Last week Libyan officials said nearly 100 civilians had been killed in the coalition strikes, but Western military officials at the time denied any civilians had been killed. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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