People enraged by the shooting of four protesting students<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Outrage over the killing of four students at
\nTrisakti University was clearly evident yesterday, with many
\npeople demanding top Armed Forces (ABRI) officials make a public
\napology and be held accountable for the deaths.<\/p>\n
Prominent government critics, including Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri, Amien Rais and Ali Sadikin, joined and addressed a
\ngathering of thousands of mourners at the university.<\/p>\n
In addition to expressing condolences and paying tribute to
\nthe students killed, the critics agreed the incident should serve
\nas a springboard for even greater efforts for reform.<\/p>\n
\"What the students have been demanding is the same as what the
\nPDI (Indonesian Democratic Party) has been demanding,\" said
\nMegawati, the ousted chairwoman of the tiny party. \"I have been
\nkeeping silent because there had not been a uniformity of
\nemotions. With this incident, let us feel the same emotions and
\nunify our aims.<\/p>\n
\"Let us build unity among students, the people and ABRI to
\ncontinue (with our demands for) reform,\" she said.<\/p>\n
\"This is a national mourning,\" said Ali Sadikin, leader of the
\nPetisi 50 group of government critics.<\/p>\n
\"Don't let the students die for nothing. It is now time for
\neverybody to move together for reform,\" said renowned poet W.S.
\nRendra in the same gathering at Trisakti.<\/p>\n
Amien Rais reiterated his earlier call for ABRI to immediately
\ndecide whether it should take sides with the majority or continue
\nin its current stance of protecting the interests of only a
\nhandful.<\/p>\n
\"Whoever shot the students committed crimes against humanity.
\nThe troopers have used their weapons and armored vehicles, bought
\nwith the people's money, to oppress the people,\" said Amien, the
\nchairman of the 28-million-strong Muhammadiyah Moslem
\norganization.<\/p>\n
\"I am calling on the soldiers not to shoot (again). I am
\ncalling on students to continue demonstrating until the goals of
\nreform are achieved.\"<\/p>\n
Emil Salim, a former cabinet minister whose bid for the vice
\npresidency earlier this year failed, called for the establishment
\nof an independent fact-finding team which would include personnel
\nfrom the National Commission on Human Rights to investigate the
\ndeaths.<\/p>\n
\"This repression must stop because it has trampled upon the
\ndignity of the people. We demand a change in leadership,\" said
\nKarlina Leksono, Indonesia's first astronomer who has been
\nactively protesting the government's handling of the economic
\ncrisis.<\/p>\n
\"Enough is enough,\" former student leader Hariman Siregar told
\nthe gathering at the Trisakti campus.<\/p>\n
Resignation<\/p>\n
In addition to numerous individuals expressing their grief,
\nanger and shock over the killings, groups of activists also
\nissued critical statements of ABRI and the government over the
\nincident. Some also demanded the government's replacement.<\/p>\n
In a joint statement, 12 prominent non-governmental
\norganizations, including the Indonesian Environmental Forum
\n(Walhi), the Indonesian Consumers Organization (YLKI), women
\nadvocacy groups Kalyanamitra and Solidaritas Perempuan (Women
\nSolidarity), called on ABRI to never use weapons or bullets to
\nthreat, torture or kill people.<\/p>\n
\"We pray that the students who died, died as martyrs,\" the
\ngroup said. \"We state our full support for calls for total reform
\nthat the students, intellectuals and other components of society
\nhave been voicing,\" said the group.<\/p>\n
Separately, more than 100 researchers at the state-run
\nIndonesian Institute of Sciences joined the chorus of condolences
\nand \"demand the resignation of President Soeharto as a
\nrequirement for reform\".<\/p>\n
A statement signed by 109 respected scholars, including
\npolitical scientist Mochtar Pabottingi, Muhammad AS Hikam and
\nhistorian Taufik Abdullah, condemned the \"massacre\" by security
\npersonnel.<\/p>\n
The researchers intercepted State Minister of Research and
\nTechnology Rahardi Ramelan, who was just about to end his working
\nvisit to the institute, and directly conveyed their message to
\nhim.<\/p>\n
In a statement, the staff of the University of Indonesia said:
\n\"The burden of responsibility for the deaths of the students lays
\nwith the whole ranks of ABRI and the government.\"<\/p>\n
Over 100 lecturers from the university went to the House of
\nRepresentatives demanding an investigation be conducted. They
\nsaid the investigation must be transparent and its results
\nclearly made available to the public.<\/p>\n
Among the lecturers seen attending the meeting with members
\nfrom the Golkar faction were Emil Salim, Saparinah Sadli, Miriam
\nBudiardjo, Selo Soemardjan, Todung Mulya Lubis and Sri Mulyani
\nIndrawati, who wept openly when asked by the media to comment on
\nthe incident.<\/p>\n
They said they would suspend teaching activities in the
\nuniversity for three days from today to express their condolences
\nand sorrow over the incident.<\/p>\n
\"We also demand that those responsible for the shootings be
\npunished, including the commanders of those in charge of the
\nsecurity at the Trisakti incident.\"<\/p>\n
A joint statement signed by various legal and advocacy
\nassociations, such as the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation, the
\nIndonesia Women's Association for Justice and the Civil and
\nPolitical Rights Advocacy Foundation, maintained that the
\nincident was not a violation of field procedures but originated
\nfrom the repressive approach adopted by ABRI to deal with the
\nprotests.<\/p>\n
\"We implore ABRI's leaders to show their responsibility
\nconcerning the incident,\" the joint statement read.<\/p>\n
Mourning<\/p>\n
Artists and intellectuals grouped in the Utan Kayu Community,
\nled by senior journalist Goenawan Mohamad, also condemned the
\nkillings and called for a week of national mourning.<\/p>\n
\"Along with public leaders such as Amien Rais, Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri, Emil Salim and Ali Sadikin, we are calling for a
\nweek of national mourning,\" the group said in a statement signed
\nby, among others, poet Sitok Srengenge.<\/p>\n
Moslem leader Abdurrahman Wahid and a number of his friends
\nfrom various organizations, including philosopher Franz Magnis
\nSuseno, called on the community to observe a moment of silence at
\nnoon today.<\/p>\n
\"For just one minute, let us say our prayers then,\" said
\nAbdurrahman, the chairman of the 30-million-strong Nahdlatul
\nUlama (NU) Moslem organization, in a statement. \"Violence will
\nnot be solved by violence, and wounds will continue to bleed.\"<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI)
\ncalled for a national week of mourning with flags being flown at
\nhalf-mast from today.<\/p>\n
In a statement signed by executive director Hendardi, the
\nassociation \"strongly urge for a thorough political
\naccountability of President Soeharto as supreme commander of
\nABRI\".<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI) called on all parties
\nto show restraint and for the government, the legislature and all
\ndecision makers to respond to the problems now facing the people.<\/p>\n
Signed by deputy chairman Ali Yafie and 31 other prominent
\nulema including Ilyas Ruchiyat, the council also called on
\nstudents and intellectuals to continue voicing their aspirations
\nin a peaceful way.<\/p>\n
Reason<\/p>\n
Former finance minister Mar'ie Muhammad said in a statement
\nthat he was \"distressed\" at seeing clear signs that the
\ngovernment intended to resolve the student protests using an
\nauthoritarian and forceful approach.<\/p>\n
\"Based on recordings aired on television, there was no reason
\nfor police to take such measures (shootings) against the
\nstudents,\" he said. He added that other television footage showed
\nhow one wounded demonstrator lying on the ground was kicked by
\npassing security officers instead of being helped.<\/p>\n
Deputy chairman of the National Commission on Human Rights
\nMarzuki Darusman told The Jakarta Post that he saw \"no reason
\nwhatsoever why the shootings should have happened. No
\njustification whatsoever for these killings.\"<\/p>\n
\"In this case, somebody must be held politically accountable
\nfor the security forces. There should be no more excuses, no
\ndefensive statements from the government blaming it on the
\nsituation, or even blaming it on their subordinates,\" he said.<\/p>\n
But he rejected suggestions that President Soeharto be held
\naccountable.<\/p>\n
\"There must be a functional responsibility (from those in
\ncharge of Jakarta's security),\" he said, adding that the blame
\nshould not necessarily be put on Minister of Defense\/Armed Forces
\nCommander Gen. Wiranto. (jun\/mds\/swe\/emy)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/people-enraged-by-the-shooting-of-four-protesting-students-1447893297",
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