Islamic Group Demonstrate Against Kompas
Monday, 26 June, 2006 | 16:51 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: Around 300 members of the Anti-secularism and Anti-Kompas Alliance (GASAK) Islamic Group protested at the Kompas editorial office in Jalan Palmerah Selatan, West Jakarta yesterday (25/6).

They are demanding that Kompas not publish news that puts Moslems into a corner.

An example of news which is considered of putting Moslems in a corner is Kompas’ coverage of the Draft Bill of Anti-Pornography and Pornographic Acts.

“Kompas has sided with those who reject the draft bill,” said Fadloli El Munir, Chief of the Betawi Rempug Forum (FBR), after a meeting with Suryopratomo, Kompas' editor in-chief.

At around 11 am, the protesters’ representatives met with Kompas' editor in-chief and several editorial staff.

During the meeting, GASAK presented that one of which reminded Kompas to return to the agreement made between Kompas and the Islamic Defenders Team on September 20, 1997.

GASAK consists of 80 mass organizations including the Islamic Defenders Front, the Betawi Rempug Forum, Islam Missionaries, Majelis Ulama Indonesia and Islam Defenders Team.

They held their protest from 1030am to 1230pm.

MARULI FERDINAND