Indonesian NGO: Anti-Bersih acts against Islam
A youth organisation calls on Indonesians to condemn Putrajaya’s use of “violent and forceful” means to quell dissent.
(Free Malaysia Today) – An Indonesian youth organisation today added its voice to the international outcry against the repression of last Saturday’s Bersih rally.
In a strongly worded statement emailed to news organisations in Malaysia, Generasi Muda Pembangunan Indonesia (GMPI) accused the Najib administration of failing to uphold Islamic values and democratic principles.
It said Putrajaya “should always” distance itself from “authoritarian politics” and the “use of violent and forceful means” to quell dissent.
GMPI also called on all Indonesians to use both organisational and informal channels to condemn the action against Bersih demonstrators.
It said the arrest of activists and the use of chemical sprays and tear gas against demonstrators constituted a “repressive offensive tactic” by a government that felt that its power was “under threat” by citizens trying to express their desire for free and fair elections.
