[The following is a compilation of reports from Detik.com on the March 29 mass rally planned by the National Liberation Party of Unity against the ratification of the Draft Law on Capital Investment that was attacked and broken up by the Islamic Defenders Front. Translated by James Balowski.]

Thousands of protesters to oppose capital investment law

Plans by the House of Representatives (DPR) to ratify the Draft Law on Capital Investment into law on March 29 has attracted strong reactions from the public with thousands of activists planning to take to the streets to protest.

One of the social organisations that will be protesting is the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas), which will mobilising around 3,000 protesters at the Shangri-La Hotel in Central Jakarta.

"President Susilo Bambang Yudhohoyono will be attending a Millenium Development Goals meeting at the Shangri-La. So we are aiming directly at the government as the one that proposed the draft law", said the head of Papernas' advisory board, Dita Indah Sari when contacted by Detik.com on Thursday morning.

According to Dita, the action will also demonstrate to Yudhoyono just how much ordinary people oppose the draft law. "If it is ratified, foreign investors can moving in 100 percent into a number of sectors", she said.

In addition to Papernas, the Workers Challenge Alliance (ABM) and a number of other groups have united to oppose the draft law in an action that will be centered at the DPR building in Senayan, South Jakarta.

FPI and FBR besiege Proclamation Monument

Around 500 people from the Betawi Brotherhood Forum (FBR) and the Islamic Defenders Front (FBI) have taken control of the Proclamation Monument in Central Jakarta in order to intercept a declaration by the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas).

Papernas plans to hold the declaration at 3pm today. Former President Abdurrahman Wahid is to attend the event.

The FPI members, most of whom were wearing white concentrated on the left of the entrance to the monument while the FBR members who were wearing black took control of the right side, had been waiting since 10am.

A large banner had been erected reading "PAPERNAS = PRD = A new form of communism. Ban and destroy", "Say no to this new form of communism". "Uphold Pancasila, the 1945 Constitution and Law No. 27/1999, destroy the new form of communism in Indonesia"1 and "This is Indonesia brother, not a part of the US". They also handed out green leaflets containing anti-communist propaganda and calling on all religious communities to exterminate communism.

FPI attacks Papernas demonstrators

Hundreds of FPI members have attacked Papernas demonstrators in the heart of Jakarta on Jl. Sudirman after moving off from the Proclamation Monument where they had been gathering with members of the FBR.

Riding motorbikes and open pickup trucks they moved off at around 11.10am aiming to break up a rally by Papernas who they heard were gathering at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout. "We're hunting communists. We heard they are gathering at a particular place", said one of the FPI members.

Arriving suddenly at the Landmark Building, they ran into the Papernas demonstrators who were arriving in scores of Metro Mini busses from Block M in South Jakarta. The FBI members immediately ran across Jl. Sudirman and began pelting the Papernas convoy with rocks.

FBR members meanwhile remained at the Proclamation Monument to intercept the Papernas declaration that is to be held at 3pm.

Heavy downpour at Sudirman, FPI disperses

By mid-day heavy rain began falling in Central Jakarta and the FPI members who had recently clashed with Papernas disbanded and sought shelter. A short time later they left the location.

All that is visible is the aftermath of the clash such as shattered glass from the Metro Mini bus convoy. Traffic heading north towards the Hotel Indonesia roundabout was congested and moving at a crawl.

At around 12.30pm four Metro Mini busses appeared and parked at Dukuh Atas. These were members of Anti-Communist Solidarity (SAK). SAK action coordinator Habib Novel Al Habsi said they were waiting for other demonstrators to arrive and would then move of to the Proclamation Monument.

Most of the Papernas demonstrators meanwhile who had sought shelter among the buildings along the length of Jl. Sudirman.

Papernas demonstrators afraid to return home

Demonstrators from the Urban Poor Union (SRMK), one of the organisations affiliated with Papernas, are still seeking shelter at the Muamalat Bank Building on Jl. Sudirman.

"We want to go home, but are afraid", said one of the women. Others said they were awaiting instructions from the action coordinator before moving. "We are afraid of being attacked again", they said, adding that they did not know where the FPI members were at the moment.

One of the women said that they had planned to demonstrate over the issue of free healthcare and education and said that they held a protest earlier at the National Education Department offices and were also planning another demonstration at the World Bank.

Papernas members injured in attack

As consequence of the attack by FBI at least three Papernas supporters were injured. Papernas is still checking if other members have been hurt.

"We have received data that three people were injured. But this is provisional data. We are stick checking, because after being attacked, our members scattered", said the head of Papernas' legal and human rights division, Iwan Dwielaksono, when contacted by Detik.com.

As of 3.20pm, Iwan and other Papernas members were still in Jl. Sudirman area although the whereabouts of other protesters is unclear. Most of the Papernas demonstrators were housewives and women. "Ninety percent of our members are women, they became frightened when attacked. After that they sought safety. We are still looking for them, but have been held up by the rain", said Iwan.

Iwan said that there were as many as 2,000 Papernas demonstrators in the convey that was headed towards the Shangri-La Hotel where an economic forum was being held at which they had planned to demand the abolition of the foreign debt. But upon arriving at the hotel, they were attacked by the FPI.

According to Iwan, after the Shangri-La, they had planned to go to the Department of Labour to support a labour demonstration. Following this they were to go to the Proclamation Monument to hold a mass rally.

Given the attack, Iwan was unsure if the rally would still go ahead or not. "Our peaceful action was actually to demand prosperity for the people and to demand free education. So, I feel there has been a systematic effort to close down our event", he said.

Four people detained by police

Four people found to have thrown rocks and brought stones to the clash between the FPI and Papernas have been taken into custody by the Tanah Abang sectoral police.

"Yes, we arrested them and we took them into custody", said the head of the Tanah Abang criminal investigation section, Iptu Ariyono when speaking with Detik.com. However Ariyono was not able to confirm if those arrest are members of FPI.

The FPI and Papernas clashed in the Dukuh Atas area of Central Jakarta on Jl. Sudirman at around 11am. As a result of the incident, a number of Papernas members were injured. Fortunately police quickly diffused the clash so casualties were minimized.

Notes:

1. PRD – People's Democratic Party. Law No. 27/1999 is a revision to the Criminal Code that codifies Provisional People's Consultative Assembly (MPRS) Decree Number XXV/1966 on the Dissolution of the Indonesian Communist Party and Prohibitions on Marxist, Leninist and Communist Teachings.

[Translated by James Balowski.]