Governor urges rectors to help control students<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso called on officials of both
\nstate and private universities on Thursday night to urge their
\nstudents to refrain from participating in demonstrations.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso, however, told reporters on Friday that the call did
\nnot mean that students would be prohibited from staging protests.<\/p>\n
\"I just asked them to control their students from being easily
\nprovoked so as not to lead them into riots,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The governor said any new instances of rioting would only
\ncreate more economic difficulty since unrest usually drove the
\nrupiah downward against the U.S. dollar.<\/p>\n
The meeting between the governor and 250 state and private
\nuniversity assistant rectors for administrative and student
\naffairs was held at City Hall.<\/p>\n
The three-hour meeting was also attended by city police chief
\nMaj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman, Jakarta Military Commander Maj.
\nGen. Djadja Suparman and director general for sociopolitical
\naffairs of the Ministry of Home Affairs Maj. Gen. Dunidja.<\/p>\n
The frequency of student protests has increased recently with
\nmost demanding the resignation of President B.J. Habibie, the
\ngovernment to lower staple food prices and former president
\nSoeharto to be brought to court for past deeds.<\/p>\n
Separately, an assistant rector of a Central Jakarta
\nuniversity, who asked not to be named, said the governor asked
\nthe university officials to help maintain public order ahead of
\nan extraordinary session of the People's Consultative Assembly
\nscheduled for November or early December.<\/p>\n
\"We were urged to prevent our students from being provoked by
\ncertain parties who want to create chaos as the session
\napproaches. The governor also wanted student demonstrations not
\nto affect our economic situation,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said Sutiyoso also offered to involve the students in the
\neffort to distribute foodstuffs to the people.<\/p>\n
\"The governor, for instance, invited the students to join the
\nadministration's effort in distributing foodstuffs,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The university officials reportedly received the call warmly.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso also pledged he would pay attention to student
\ndifficulties stemming from the economic crisis. \"I hear there are
\nstudents who can no longer afford their school fees. During the
\nmeeting I also asked them to gather data on it.<\/p>\n
\"Maybe we can help the students solve their problems,\" he said
\nafter officiating the handing over of food donations in the form
\nof five metric tons of rice, 200 ducks, 40 boxes of instant
\nnoodles and Rp 3 million in cash for the construction of a mosque
\nto residents of Rorotan subdistrict in North Jakarta on Friday.<\/p>\n
He said Thursday's meeting was also aimed at creating
\ncooperation between the city administration and universities.<\/p>\n
\"We also want to know their aspirations so that we can help
\nforward them to proper channels,\" he said. (ind)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/governor-urges-rectors-to-help-control-students-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}