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Bush Effigy Burned in Indonesia Rally

More than 1,000 protesters burned U.S. flags and an effigy of President Bush outside the U.S. Embassy on Thursday as some of its diplomats prepared to leave the world's most populous Muslim nation.

The exodus of many embassy staffers and their families came after extremist Islamic groups threatened to round up and attack Americans even though Indonesia's government supports Washington's war against terrorism.

After a week of protests across Indonesia, Thursday's rally was by far the largest, swelling to about 1,000 protesters at one point.

Chanting ``go to hell America,'' they set fire to U.S. and Israeli flags and burned an effigy of Bush. Hundreds of heavily armed riot police stood guard, but did not intervene.

U.S. Ambassador Robert Gelbard criticized Indonesia's police for not moving against activists who have vowed to kill him and attack the embassy if Washington launches strikes against Afghanistan or other Islamic nations.

``They have not been prepared to act, to warn or to arrest people who break the law when there are threats against the lives of Americans,'' the ambassador said.

Gelbard spoke to reporters after he and the commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, Adm. Thomas Fargo, held talks with Indonesian security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Australian military commander Adm. Chris Barrie was also in the capital for talks.

The U.S. Embassy did not say how many diplomats were leaving.

``The Department of State has authorized the voluntary departure of all U.S. government personnel in non-emergency positions and family members in Indonesia,'' said an embassy statement.

On Wednesday, the department warned Americans to stay away from Indonesia, saying the terrorist attacks on the United States had ``significantly'' raised safety concerns.

The department has said ``extremist elements may be planning to target U.S. interests in Indonesia.''

During the past week, there have been daily demonstrations by small groups of Muslims in front of the embassy as well as outside the U.S. Consulate in the port city of Surabaya.

An organizer of Thursday's demonstration in Jakarta called on the government to abandon its support of the U.S. anti-terror campaign.

``We call on the Indonesian government to severe all ties - diplomatic, and economic - with the United States and its allies such as Britain and Australia. To close their embassies, expel their diplomats and to take over their companies and assets,'' said Muhammad Ismail Yusanto.

Another 100 people demonstrated in the city of Medan, on Sumatra island, and burned U.S. flags.

Fringe Islamic groups have vowed to attack the U.S. embassy and recruit volunteers to go to Afghanistan to fight with the Taliban. A group calling itself the Islamic Youth Movement threatened to kill Ambassador Gelbard if U.S. forces take action.

About 85 percent of Indonesia's 210 million people are Muslims. But the country has a secular government which adheres to a state philosophy proclaiming the equality of all religions.


source: news.crosswalk.com, September 29, 2001
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