Jakarta (ANTARA) - Jakarta Military Commander, Major General Dudung Abdurachman, confirmed here on Monday that the 212 reunion rally, scheduled for December 2, 2020, has been cancelled, as intimated by a written statement from the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI).

"FPI has stated that this year's 212 reunion rally will not be held," Abdurachman said.

The cancellation of the annual event which commemorates the historical 212 rally, taken out by the National Movement to Safeguard the Indonesian Ulema Council's Fatwa (GNPF-MUI) on December 2, 2016, has also been confirmed by a letter issued by the Jakarta governor.

The letter indicates the 212 reunion rally, which is always thronged by a large number of people, has been cancelled as it would be in violation of the Jakarta provincial government's regulation on large-scale social restrictions, Abdurachman explained.

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The FPI-National Movement to Safeguard Fatwas (GNPF) and 212 Alumni has issued a statement announcing that this year's 212 reunion rally has been postponed because an application for using the National Monument (Monas) square for holding the rally has been rejected.

The event has only been put off temporarily in view of this year's simultaneous regional elections on December 9, 2020, it said. If the government allows crowds of people on voting day, the 212 reunion rally would be held at an appropriate time, it added.

In place of the rally, the FPI, GNPF, and 212 Alumni plan to organize a national dialogue on December 2, 2020.

The national dialogue will be attended by FPI leader Rizieq Shihab and 100 figures and ulemas.

Shihab returned to Jakarta on November 10, 2020, after an over three-year self-imposed exile in Saudi Arabia. (INE)

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Translator: Andi F, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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