End to student sit-in was as fast and frenzied<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): About 200 security personnel stood guard at the
\nHouse of Representatives (DPR) compound yesterday following the
\nfrantic eviction of antigovernment students a few hours earlier.<\/p>\n
Armed and with barricades of barbed wire fences, the troop of
\npolice, army and marine personnel declared the 60-hectare complex
\na restricted area.<\/p>\n
According to the Jakarta Military Command's chief of staff,
\nBrig. Gen. Sudi Silalahi, the troops would remain on guard at the
\ncomplex until \"the situation is not worrisome anymore\".<\/p>\n
\"We want to anticipate (actions of) certain parties who wish
\nto enter the building, destroy it and create anarchy,\" he said
\nwithout elaborating.<\/p>\n
In the wee hours yesterday, tension reigned on city's main
\nthoroughfares of Jl. Sudirman, Jl. Thamrin and part of Jl. Gatot
\nSubroto in Central Jakarta as thousands of heavily armed police,
\narmy and marine personnel packed the area to evict an estimated
\n3,000 students from the House to Atmajaya Catholic University.<\/p>\n
At least five armored tanks roared on the streets at high
\nspeed heading back and forth. The vehicles left strong track
\nmarks on the roads.<\/p>\n
Motorists and residents of nearby areas such as Bendungan
\nHilir, Karet Semanggi and Karet Kuningan watched the unusual
\nscene with apprehension.<\/p>\n
The suspense, which started at about 10 p.m., finally died
\ndown at about 5:30 a.m. shortly after dawn broke.<\/p>\n
Although no fatalities were recorded, the sudden appearance of
\nthe armed security personnel and the heavy convoy of military
\nvehicles at the DPR in the evening drew dozens of local and
\nforeign journalists.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post assigned 10 of its reporters and
\nphotographers in and around the complex. Here are their stories
\nof the eviction:<\/p>\n
10 p.m. - 11:15 p.m. : Thousands of security personnel are
\ndispatched with trucks and buses to the back and front gates of
\nthe complex. Troops are from the army, police mobile brigade,
\nmarine, military and police military officers, attired in their
\nrespective uniforms and weapons.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of spectators on the other side of Jl. Gatot Subroto
\nwatch the maneuver in curiosity, wondering what fate would befall
\nthe students gathered inside. Many private vehicles are even
\npermitted to park on the outer side of the front gate. Only
\nstudents and reporters with identity cards are allowed to enter
\nthe complex. Inside, some students prepare to sleep and chat with
\neach other. Some others stand on alert -- with walkie-talkies in
\ntheir hands -- or have a late supper in different locations of
\nthe compound. Most are still in their respective uniforms. At the
\nback entrance, the students form a human barricade and carefully
\nwatch anybody entering.<\/p>\n
11:25 p.m.: Security personnel suddenly declare the area
\nclosed to the public. At the back entrance, the security forces
\nform two lines, starting to block people, including journalists,
\nfrom entering. \"Time is over,\" one of the officers tells the
\nPost. A foreign television crew begins filming the barricade.
\nStudents beseech journalists to come into the complex. \"We badly
\nneed you,\" says one of them, ignoring scathing looks from the
\nofficers.<\/p>\n
11:30 p.m.: A troop of security officers approaches the
\nstudent barricade. A heated debate ensues. Seconds later, the cry
\n\"attack\" comes from the security forces. They chase fleeing
\nstudents. At least two shots, possibly warning rounds, are heard.
\nThe noise stuns the other students in the complex, drawing
\nscreams as they try to escape in panic. Most of them run toward
\nthe main building. Some of the students running from the rear
\nentrance are seen beaten by the troops who try to push the
\nstudents back. A few seconds later, more troops enter the area. A
\nloud voice, probably from a portable loudspeaker, announces:
\n\"Fellow students, we ask all of you to leave this compound
\npeacefully in the name of the reform movement.\"<\/p>\n
11:45 - 1 a.m.: The officers divide the students into groups.
\nEach group containing dozens of people is herded into the glass-
\ndoor building. There wis a crash as the glass door breaks,
\nshattered by sticks and guns allegedly of officers.<\/p>\n
They are forced to do so because of the panicked mass trying
\nto stampede through the two-meter wide glass door.<\/p>\n
They keep on pushing the students, kicking and beating them
\nuntil other officers stop them. It is pitch dark and most of the
\nstudents are screaming for mercy.<\/p>\n
Students rounded up by the officers are pressed into the hall.
\nGradually the tension dissipates as some troops calm the students
\ndown. \"It is okay. It is all right. You are safe now.\"<\/p>\n
1:10 a.m.: About 70 buses speedily head to the area from the
\nback entrance. Most of them are empty but a few contain military
\nofficers. The front gate is still blockaded. Civilians and
\nbystanders, such as sidewalk vendors, are herded to the front
\nyard.<\/p>\n
2 a.m.: The students yell, scream and conduct a free-speech
\nforum surrounded by the troops. They sing Halo-Halo Bandung and
\nchant repeatedly \"Reforms will never die\".<\/p>\n
Crowds gather outside the front gate. At the back entrance,
\nthe security bars everybody, including the Indonesian Red Cross
\nand foreign diplomats, from entering the compound. Some water
\ncanon vehicles, mobile vacuum cleaners and military trucks
\ncarrying barbed wire rush to the back entrance.<\/p>\n
2:30 a.m.: The students are packed into about 60 buses,
\nmotorcycles and vehicles, under the heavy escort of marines,
\nheaded to nearby Atmajaya Catholic University as a temporary
\nshelter. They leave the house singing and yelling: \"The sounds of
\nreforms will never die. We'll be back tomorrow.\"<\/p>\n
3 a.m. - 3:30 a.m: The students' convoy is blocked near
\nSemanggi cloverleaf by another troop convoy. The marines try to
\npersuade them to open the barricade. The students are frustrated
\nand try to push through the officers but are stopped by the
\nmarines. The students are finally allowed to enter the Atmajaya
\ncampus after difficult negotiations.<\/p>\n
5 a.m.: The marines disperse and the students settle at the
\nuniversity, leaving the campus at about 9 a.m. (team)<\/p>",
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