THE POSTER should have implied an appeal for peace: a picture of two hands with thumbs met. It was plastered on the wall of the Hotel Radisson Yogyakarta's ballroom. There were dozens of them posted row after row.

But the ambiance in the ballroom was heated. One man was pounding on a table, while another was screaming so forcefully that his neck muscles were strained visibly. There was no physical clash, but the aura of anger was overpowering.

I