Protests over Obama visit

THOUSANDS of followers of a conservative Islamic group held peaceful demonstrations in several Indonesian cities yesterday against the planned visit of US President Barack Obama at the end of this month.

Members of Hizb ut-Tahrir protested in East Java’s provincial capital of Surabaya, South Sulawesi’s capital of Makassar and three cities.

“We know Obama spent his childhood in Indonesia, but as president his policy contradicts the people’s interests in Indonesia,” protest organiser Nasrudin said.