Opposition in ‘unholy alliance’ with leftist groups – TU official

BANTUL (AFP) - Thousands of survivors and relatives of the more than 5,700 people killed in last year's earthquake in central Indonesia held pre-dawn prayers Sunday to honor the victims.

Some 5,000 people prayed and recited verses from the Koran in an open field in Bantul district outside the ancient city of Yogyakarta to mark the moment when the 6.3-magnitude quake rattled the country's main island of Java.

Mourners held a minute of silence just before 6:00 am to mark the exact moment that the quake struck. Local dancers and actors later reenacted the tragedy.
In nearby villages, the kentongan, a hollowed piece of wood, was struck -- a traditional signal to residents to gather.