Demonstration turns violent, 60 injured<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The announcement of the Supreme Court verdict on Thursday in the
\ngraft case involving House of Representatives speaker Akbar
\nTandjung was marred by violent protests nationwide, with at least
\n60 protesting students in Jakarta injured in an ugly melee with
\nriot police.<\/p>\n
At least 45 students were taken to state-run Cipto
\nMangunkusumo General Hospital while 15 others were sent to Gatot
\nSubroto Army Hospital, most suffering from severe head injuries,
\npresumably caused by police batons. At least one student
\nreportedly had a fractured skull, while several others suffered
\nbroken arms and legs.<\/p>\n
National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Basyir Ahmad Barmawi made
\na public apology, but then claimed only 17 students were injured
\nwhile 10 police officers were also wounded.<\/p>\n
"(The protesters) provoked (the police) to attack them by
\nhurling stones at the riot police who were just guarding the
\nevent."<\/p>\n
The rally initially was peaceful with thousands of students
\nfrom 30 student groups in Greater Jakarta and Bandung making
\nspeeches about 200 meters away from the Supreme Court building,
\nbarricaded by perhaps 100 police armed with batons and girded in
\nriot gear.<\/p>\n
The clash erupted at about 3 p.m. when the students were
\ntrying to get closer to the court compound. The officers charged
\nthe students who were kicked and smashed by the batons as well as
\nsome bamboo flag poles which the police managed to seize.<\/p>\n
The policemen were also seen hurling drink bottles at the
\nstudents, which they had just snatched away from nearby street
\nvendors.<\/p>\n
The students, apparently undeterred, charged back a few hours
\nlater as the justices read out the decision to let Akbar walk.<\/p>\n
"We predicted this ... we had never believed the Supreme Court
\nwould be able to uphold the supremacy of law over political
\ninterests," said Ali Abel of the National University.<\/p>\n
The students then issued a joint statement condemning the
\nacquittal and demanded that the five justices be investigated.<\/p>\n
Just 50 meters away from the students -- separated by police
\nand barbed wire -- a large group of Akbar's supporters from the
\nGolkar security wing (AMPG) and Betawi Brotherhood Forum (FBR)
\ncheered the verdict with religious fervor.<\/p>\n
Among the crowd, a circle of AMPG commanders, including rock
\nsinger Renny Djayusman, were seen kissing the Court's front
\nsteps.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, in Yogyakarta, several students were also injured
\nin a clash between the police and Poor Yogyakartans Movement
\n(FPRMY) as the latter tried to enter the Sheraton Mustika Hotel
\ncompound where politicians Amien Rais, Wiranto and Rahmawati
\nSukarnoputri were scheduled to meet.<\/p>\n
Separately, the Communication Forum of Yogyakartan Students
\n(FKMJ) held a rally outside the office of the provincial election
\ncommission, urging them to disqualify Golkar.<\/p>\n
In Bandung, hundreds of enraged students swarmed into the
\nstreets, distributing pamphlets and mobilizing the people to rise
\nup and reject the Court's verdict.<\/p>\n
In Semarang, people grouped in the Front for People
\nSafeguarding the Transition to Democracy (Fortrad) held a long
\nmarch in the city, carrying banners that had such things as,
\n"Supreme Court, please side with Indonesian people".<\/p>\n
The protesters also performed some street theater mocking the
\njudges, while others played the role of politicians donating
\n"presents" to the judges.<\/p>\n
In Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi, students grouped in the Front
\nof Democratic Opponents (FOD) and the region's Front of
\nIndonesian Muslim Students Movement (KAMMI) demanded that Akbar
\nbe imprisoned.<\/p>\n
Surabaya branches of KAMMI and the Association of Muslim
\nStudents (HMI), and three other groups joined hands to reject the
\nacquittal of Akbar. In their act they burned an effigy of Akbar.
\nSome of them also visited the state radio station RRI for a five-
\nminute on-air speech.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/demonstration-turns-violent-60-injured-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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