Even if you disagree with their cause, you can at least admire the determination of the protesters who still came out for today’s second so-called “212” (or, as we’re calling it, “212.2”) rally against Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama.
Though much of Jakarta has been paralyzed this morning due to widespread flooding throughout the capital, a large number of people still managed to make it to the protest rally, which is now centered in front of the Parliament (DPR) complex in Central Jakarta.
Organizers and police were expecting around 10,000 people to join the action (which would still be a tiny fraction of the hundreds of thousands that attended anti-Ahok rallies in November and December), but some local media are reporting that only “hundreds” actually showed up.
https://twitter.com/CondetWarrior/status/833840441174929408
RT nu_gelo_anyar: RT arfid_fardan21: Suasana terkini di depan Gedung DPR/MPR #aksi212 pic.twitter.com/0qOYEVzBo4
— Citra M #grdmy411 (@citra_madina411) February 21, 2017
https://twitter.com/CondetWarrior/status/833878918964731904
10:04 Kasat Lantas Jakbar AKBP Sudarmanto pengamanan masa aksi yg melakukan jalan kaki dari Petamburan ke Gd. DPR RI. Cuaca hujan. pic.twitter.com/26PAf4oiIn
— TMC Polda Metro Jaya (@TMCPoldaMetro) February 21, 2017
Perwakilan dari peserta #Aksi212 direncanakan akan diterima oleh Komisi III DPR RI. pic.twitter.com/nJDvRPqSTN
— DPR RI (@DPR_RI) February 21, 2017
As indicated by that last tweet, representatives from the protest were be allowed to meet with DPR House Commission III to convey their demands, which include a bunch of things (like stopping the “criminalization of the ulemas”, restoring the sovereignty of the nation, returning Indonesia to the original 1945 Constitution) but by far the most important being the immediate ouster of Ahok as Jakarta’s active governor (something some politicians in the DPR are also pushing…).
Not among the representatives of today’s protest are Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) leader Rizieq Shihab. Although he has arguably been the face of the anti-Ahok movement and past protest rallies, Rizieq’s lawyer said would not attend today’s action because it was “the people’s domain”.
Today’s rally was also not supported by GNPF-MUI (National Movement to Safeguard the Indonesian Ulema Council’s Fatwa), the body which organized the previous anti-Ahok rallies. In fact, the chairman of MUI, Ma’ruf Amin, warned Muslim’s generally not to join today’s protest as it was “very politicized” (as opposed to the previous rallies?).
What happened to all of the anti-Ahok’s movements previous support? Theories abound, from police pressure being placed on Rizieq due to the numerous criminal investigations he is facing to a lack of funding from whatever shadowy “actor” was paying for the previous mass rallies.
That means the bulk of the participants at today’s 212.2 rally are from the Islamic Community Forum (FUI), another hardliner group which is usually closely related to FPI and GNPF-MUI. Usually.
The run-off election between Ahok and Anies Baswedan isn’t until April 19, so there might be more anti-Ahok rallies yet to come. But today, somebody has definitely rained on their parade, both literally and figuratively.
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