Indonesians protest Obama visit

Thousands of Indonesians have gathered outside the US embassy in Jakarta to protest against an upcoming visit of US President Barack Obama.

The protesters marched on the US embassy in Jakarta and called for the full withdrawal of US troops from Pakistan and Afghanistan.

They also asked Washington to stop its “blind support for Israel.”

“We’re going to change our assessment of Obama only when Obama withdraws all the American troops from Iraq and Afghanistan and stops the attacks in the border region of Pakistan and Afghanistan and stops the blind support for Israel,” the Associated Press quoted a prominent participant as saying.

“We don’t see the differences between Obama and Bush, they both oppress Muslims, they both have blood on their hands,” CNN quoted Ismail Yusanto, a spokesman for a Muslim group in Indonesia.

“That’s why we reject Obama and we don’t believe that he’s reaching out to Muslims.”

The spokesman said about 20,000 people attended the rallies.

Obama will make a stop in Indonesia on Tuesday as part of his 10-day Asia tour.

The US president is in New Delhi now, where he was greeted by nationwide protests.

In reaction to the visit, victims of a toxic tragedy in the city of Bhopal held a sit-in, demanding compensation for the fatal incident.

More than 500,000 people were exposed to toxic gas after 40 tons of deadly chemical leaked at the Indian subsidiary of the US Corporation Union Carbide on December 3, 1984.

The protesters are also demanding President Obama take action against the Union Carbide and Dow Chemicals for breaching the law for many years.

People also gathered in the eastern state of Orissa, protesting against President Obama’s presence in the country, arguing that he has been unable to maintain peace in developing countries.

Meanwhile, the Kashmir Action Committee staged a demonstration in Pakistan’s Lahore, calling on the US president to take a strong stance against the Indian government’s crackdown on the Kashmiris.

More than 100 people have been killed in Indian-administered Kashmir since June, when the residents began holding anti-India demonstrations.

President Obama’s decision to spend three days in India, while bypassing Pakistan, has also come under fierce criticism.

A Washington Post report said that the move has sparked anxiety among government officials in Islamabad due to fears that the US president’s visit could likely upset the delicate balance of power between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.