NU asks demonstrators not to turn lawless

Jakarta, NU Online
The country's largest Muslim organization Nahdhatul Ulama (NU) asked demonstrators, who were opposed to the government`s fuel oil price hike, not to turn lawless while holding a rally.

"It's the people's right to stage a rally but it must be done peacefully," NU General Chairman Said Aqil Siroj said here on Tuesday.

He said that the law and religious norms did not allow demonstrators to become disorderly and attack security officers.

The NU chairman also called on security officers to avoid violence in dealing with demonstrators protesting the government's plan to raise fuel oil prices.

"Police and military officers should not resort to violence in the face of demonstrators," Aqil Siroj said.

In response to rumors that certain parties were trying to use the public's rejection of the price hike to overthrow the government, the NU chairman said that nobody could unseat President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in the middle of his term.

"The president can only be toppled from his seat if he violates the Constitution," he said.

The government is planning to raise the price of subsidized fuel oil on April 1. It has proposed two options to the House of Representatives (DPR). In the first, the government proposes to raise the price of subsidized premium gasoline from Rp4,500 to Rp6,000 per liter and diesel oil from Rp4,500 to Rp6,000 per liter.

Certain sections of society are planning to hold a large-scale rally to oppose the price hike. They include students and workers` organizations. (dar)