Golda Eksa, Bekasi – Around 30 members of the Bekasi Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) gave speeches and set fire to flags of the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) in front of the Bekasi municipal government offices on Monday April 30. They also brought banners and posters with messages opposing Papernas.

“Papernas, is a reincarnation of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI). Papernas [says it] is populist democratic. This term is the camouflage that is usually used by communists or socialist in Indonesia like the PKI. It is because of this that we don’t want the party to grow and develop”, said action coordinator Ustad (title of Islamic teacher) Abdurrahman.

Abdurrahman went on to say that the PKI’s once cause the nation to loose its best sons. Moreover he said, thousands of Muslims were wiped out by the PKI.

After giving speeches for around an hour, the protesters set fire to Papernas flags shouting that they will not tolerate Papernas’ presence, especially in Bekasi.

From the Bekasi government offices, they then moved off to continue the action at the Bekasi City Regional House of Representatives on Jl. Chairul Anwar in East Bekasi under the tight security of the Bekasi municipal police. (GG/OL-02).

[Translated by James Balowski.]