Fuel price demonstrations turn violent<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Makassar\/Yogyakarta\/Cirebon\/Bandung<\/p>\n
Despite President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's appeal earlier for
\npeaceful rallies, protests against the upcoming fuel price hikes
\nturned violent in several cities on Thursday, resulting in the
\narrest of several demonstrators.<\/p>\n
Dozens of students demonstrating in Makassar, South Sulawesi,
\nbecame involved in a minor clash with police officers guarding
\nthe private residence of Vice President Jusuf Kalla, after the
\nprotesters attempted to seal off the building.<\/p>\n
The police had surrounded the house and installed a barbed-
\nwire cordon 20 meters away from the building, preventing the
\nstudents from getting through.<\/p>\n
Furious, the students attempted to break through the barricade
\nand threw stones at the police. After negotiations, the police
\nlater allowed several student representatives to read out their
\ndemands for the cancellation of the price hikes in front of
\nKalla's residence.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere, a group of protesting students burnt used tires on
\nthe streets in Makassar, while hundreds of others broke a number
\nof windows in the city's finance office with stones after they
\nwere prevented from entering the building.<\/p>\n
The violence was contained, however, and the protesters later
\ndispersed.<\/p>\n
Another clash broke out in Palu, Central Sulawesi, as hundreds
\nof students tried to occupy a gas station on Jl. Pramuka, Antara
\nreported.<\/p>\n
After police prevented their entry to the filling station, the
\ndemonstrators started to hurl stones, injuring at least one
\npolice officer. Several students were also injured after the
\npolice chased the protesters and beat a number of them, before
\nthe crowd dispersed.<\/p>\n
Usman, an engineering student at Palu's Tadulako University,
\nwas briefly detained for his part in the protest.<\/p>\n
Protesters were also arrested by police in Kupang, East Nusa
\nTenggara. Two students were taken into custody for distributing
\npamphlets calling for people to join their protests against the
\nfuel price increases, which are to come into effect on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Kupang Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Agus Nugroho said that
\nYohanis Brino Tolo and Johanis Ndeo were detained for their
\n\"provocative\" writings, which criticized the administration of
\nPresident Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Jusuf
\nKalla.<\/p>\n
The arrests, Agus argued, were intended to prevent public
\nunrest.<\/p>\n
Both Yohanis and Johanis had previously participated in a
\nstudent rally against the planned fuel price hikes, where
\ndemonstrators took over the local branch office of state radio
\nRRI to air their demands. The students plan to stage further
\nprotests at various local government offices in the coming days.<\/p>\n
In Cirebon, West Java, around 500 university students blocked
\nthe busy north coast highway connecting Jakarta and cities in
\nEast and Central Java.<\/p>\n
The blockade caused tailbacks of up to five kilometers in
\nlength, which lasted for around four hours.<\/p>\n
The police took no action to disperse the crowd. Traffic
\nreturned to normal at around 1 p.m.<\/p>\n
A similar demonstration was staged in Bandung, involving more
\nthan 1,000 students and workers, who rallied outside the Sate
\nBuilding on Jl. Diponegoro, which houses the offices of the West
\nJava governor and the provincial legislative council.<\/p>\n
The protesters blocked the road for around two hours.<\/p>\n
They said that the government's decision to increase fuel
\nprices would make the people suffer further as they would lead to
\nincreases in the prices of other commodities.<\/p>\n
The students vowed to press ahead with more demonstrations
\nuntil the government canceled the plan.<\/p>\n
\"We demand that corrupters be tried and their ill-gotten gains
\nbe confiscated before the government raises fuel prices,\" shouted
\none protester carrying a banner reading, \"Fuel prices increase,
\ncorrupters walk free\".<\/p>\n
The demonstrators failed in their attempt to break into the
\nSate Building, with the main entrance being guarded by around 700
\npolice officers, including 200 women.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/fuel-price-demonstrations-turn-violent-1447893297",
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