Thousands of Indonesians expected to rally against rising intolerance

JAKARTA Thousands of Indonesians are expected to rally on Saturday against what they see as growing racial and religious intolerance in the world's largest Muslim-majority country.

Religious leaders, human right groups and other organisations will join the parade in central Jakarta, spokeswoman Umi Azalea said by telephone.

The movement was not political but aimed at "celebrating Indonesia's diversity", Azalea said.

"Indonesia has so many religions, cultures and ethnicities. Yet now we are seeing some groups that are forcing their own will, and that is very worrying."

Indonesian police said on Wednesday they would investigate a complaint by Muslim groups that the Christian governor of Jakarta, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, had insulted Islam.

The decision has stoked concerns about rising hardline Islamic sentiment in the country of 250 million people and is also seen by some analysts as a blow to democracy.

More than 100,000 Muslims protested against Purnama earlier this month. Police fired tear gas and water cannon to quell the protest.

There are also signs of rising religious tension elsewhere in Indonesia. Last Sunday, police arrested a suspected militant who threw an explosive device at a church in the eastern island of Borneo.

(Reporting by Eveline Danubrata; Editing by Nick Macfie)

Next In World News Germany's Merkel sets news conference, decision on candidacy expected

BERLIN Chancellor Angela Merkel will hold a news conference on Sunday evening, her conservative Christian Democratic (CDU) party said on Friday, with the German leader widely expected to announce her decision to run for a fourth term.

U.N. investigators in area probing Aleppo convoy attack - Eliasson

GENEVA U.N. investigators into a deadly attack on a U.N. convoy near Aleppo in September have been in the area collecting evidence and if they are able to identify who carried it out, the issue should be brought to the Security Council, U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson said on Friday.

For Syria rebels, Trump win adds to uncertain fate

BEIRUT/AMMAN On the eve of Donald Trump's election victory, members of a Western-backed Syrian rebel group met U.S. officials to ask about the outlook for arms shipments they have received to fight President Bashar al-Assad.

Source: Thousands of Indonesians expected to rally against rising intolerance