Handling Indonesia's anti-war anger

Handling Indonesia's anti-war anger

By Rachel Harvey BBC correspondent in Jakarta

Indonesia, the most populous Muslim country in the world, has been the scene of daily protests since the war in Iraq began.

At least 100,000 protesters marched through Jakarta on Sunday

The conflict may be thousands of miles away, but it is being watched closely here.

And many people do not like what they see.

"The USA has always done something unfair. We don't like any colonialism from one country to another country. Based on that, we tell the world that we don't like the war," one man said.

That view is shared by many, including Syafie Maarif, leader of one of Indonesia's most influential moderate Muslim groups, Muhammadiyah.

He said the war in Iraq was neither legal nor justified.

"This war is a war against humanity. This is not a war between Christians and Muslims. We are not defending Mr Saddam Hussein, because he is a dictator. I think both Bush and Saddam are paranoid. But Mr Bush is more paranoid," he said.

Syafie Maarif has been calling on his supporters to protest peacefully.

But others have been preparing for more direct action. A small radical Muslim group, the Islamic Defenders' Front, has called for volunteers to go to fight on the side of Iraq.

Habib Rizieq, leader of the group, said: "Demonstrations are no longer effective - they won't stop the American bombs. I think it's better to fight a jihad - a holy war in Iraq."

Outside Habib Rizieq's house, a steady flow of young men were waiting to sign up for battle.

"I've written my name here, because I want to help my brothers in Iraq. I can't stand to see my brothers being killed," one man said

"If I have a chance to join them, I think I will take it," he added.

The Islamic Defenders' Front represents only a small minority in Indonesia.

Protests have been peaceful, but there are fears that could change

But there are fears that the strength of opposition to the conflict in Iraq could be used by extremists to whip up anti-Western sentiment.

The British, American and Australian Governments have increased the level of their security warnings for Indonesia.

But the Indonesian Foreign Minister, Hassan Wirayuda, said the threat had been overstated.

"The demonstration here in Indonesia has been very peaceful, very orderly. And there is no way that the radical elements would be able to hijack it," he said.

Asked if that meant that extremism would no longer be tolerated in Indonesia, he said: "That's the government policy. Of course we have to work hard for this".

There is no denying the strength of feeling in Indonesia about the war in Iraq.

The question now is how those feelings manifest themselves as the war evolves.

The Iraqi conflict could prove to be a test of Indonesia's claim to be a modern democracy, with no place for violence in the name of Islam.