Campuses quit after massive student protests<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Students took a break yesterday from incessant
\nprotests as faculty staff from one university decided to suspend
\nclasses after rallies in several major cities Saturday left
\ndozens injured.<\/p>\n
Four students were still being treated here yesterday as a
\nresult of tussles with security officers on various campuses in
\nthe capital.<\/p>\n
In Medan, North Sumatra, another university has decided to
\nsuspend campus activities. HKBP Nommensen University will be
\nclosed from today until next Monday after a riotous protest
\nerupted Saturday.<\/p>\n
Deputy rector Rickson Simarmata said yesterday that the
\ndecision was reached by the faculty after an extraordinary
\nmeeting Saturday evening.<\/p>\n
Neighboring state-run Sumatra Utara University suspended its
\ncampus activities last week and is scheduled to resume academic
\npursuits this week.<\/p>\n
On Saturday the demonstration turned violent with a Nissan
\nminibus taken out of the PT Tri Jaya Deli Kencana showroom on Jl.
\nPerintis Kemerdekaan, in front of the Nommensen campus, and
\nburned on the street. A Mitsubishi pick-up and a Timor sedan were
\nalso damaged during the fracas.<\/p>\n
Window panes of several shops, including a bank and a Kentucky
\nFried Chicken outlet near the campus, were also smashed.<\/p>\n
Simarmata refused to immediately lay blame solely on his
\nstudents.<\/p>\n
\"We can no longer tell because so many people from all around
\nmingled with the students.\"<\/p>\n
Hundreds of students, along with passersby, were involved in
\nthe violent protest that was colored by police and troopers'
\nfiring tear gas.<\/p>\n
Simarmata said the decision to suspend academic activities was
\ntaken to calm emotions which were at a high Saturday.<\/p>\n
\"There will be no activities whatsoever during the week,\" he
\ntold The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
In a related development Saturday, two scholars in Semarang,
\nCentral Java, warned of further unrest if the students'
\naspirations were not properly accommodated by the government.<\/p>\n
Emha Ainun Nadjib once again suggested a previously aired idea
\nthat President Soeharto hand over his power to some kind of
\n\"state council\" comprising of several Army generals and noted
\npublic figures in order to respond to calls for political reform.<\/p>\n
\"For instance (Armed Forces chief) Wiranto, (commander of the
\nArmy's Strategic Reserves Command) Prabowo, Amien Rais, Gus Dur
\nand Emil Salim could sit down together and find a formula without
\nthere being any casualties.\"<\/p>\n
Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University sociologist Slamet
\nSoetrisno said that if reforms were not made soon, the country
\ncould begin to disintegrate very quickly.<\/p>\n
\"The undercurrent movements are now very strong and radical.
\nThose who are participating in the demonstrations are now not
\njust students but also laborers.\"<\/p>\n
He thus pointed to the empowerment of the House of
\nRepresentatives as one possible remedy to the increasing distrust
\nof the people.<\/p>\n
The House in situations like this must have the courage to ask
\nand make the president accountable for his actions, he said.
\n(21\/har)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/campuses-quit-after-massive-student-protests-1447893297",
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