Protests: What will happen next?<\/p>\n
Student protests have occurred almost daily for the past two
\nmonths. The Jakarta Post reporters Ahmad Junaidi, Arief
\nSuhardiman, Ati Nurbaiti, Benget Simbolon, Emmy Fitri, Kornelius
\nPurba, Riyadi, Efendy Naibaho, Arifuddin Saeni, Ainur R.
\nSophiaan, Israr Ardiansyah, Haryoso and MMI Ahyani have talked to
\nstudents, observers, former activists and ordinary people on the
\nsidelines of student rallies to find out where things will go
\nfrom here.<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Molotov cocktails hurled at riot police? Aren't
\nthese students going a bit too far? A photocopy shop owner in
\nMedan, where the petrol bombs were thrown, certainly felt
\nprotests at the University of North Sumatra weren't doing him any
\ngood. If things continue at this rate his business will soon go
\nunder.<\/p>\n
While many people claim to support the student demands for
\nclean governance and lower prices, they deplore violence and
\ndestruction.<\/p>\n
Already a number of students and security officers have been
\ninjured in places where the demonstrations have escalated.<\/p>\n
Virtually every city and town in the country that has a
\nuniversity or college has borne witness to a student protest. One
\nof the largest so far occurred in Yogyakarta in March. Estimates
\nsuggest that 25,000 people were involved.<\/p>\n
Most protesters have exercised restraint. When marching on the
\nstreet, they are often seen huddled in columns demarcated by
\nstring or rope, even on marches over short distances.<\/p>\n
Some activists are embarrassed by this -- it reflects
\n\"exclusivity\", they say -- but it is a practice they have
\ndeveloped after learning from past protests.<\/p>\n
In the past, students were often blamed for turning their
\nprotests into riots. The string and rope is used to encircle the
\nprotesters and prevent intrusions from potential agitators. The
\ngovernment has repeatedly warned that protests could easily be
\ninfiltrated \"by certain parties taking advantage of the
\nsituation\".<\/p>\n
The public attitude toward the protests is still ambiguous.<\/p>\n
Students claim to represent the aspirations of the people, but
\neven members of the public who have openly supported the protests
\nhave never verified this statement explicitly.<\/p>\n
Arbi Sanit, a political scientist and lecturer at the
\nUniversity of Indonesia, says that a united understanding of what
\nsort of reform everybody wants has yet to emerge.<\/p>\n
Radical?<\/p>\n
Sarwono Kusumaatmadja, a student leader in the 1960s who
\nserved in President Soeharto's cabinet for 10 years until last
\nFebruary, believes few people want a revolution.<\/p>\n
\"Even the students don't want that,\" Sarwono said.<\/p>\n
There is no need for fancy theories about revolution, just
\nrespond to this student anger, the former environment minister
\nsaid. \"We have the answers to economic problems, some of which
\nwere provided by outside parties. But political solutions must
\ncome from within.\"<\/p>\n
With protests escalating and demands becoming bolder, analysts
\nhave speculated that radical opinion is spreading among the
\nstudent movement.<\/p>\n
For example, several student groups refused to take part in
\nlast month's dialog with senior members of the cabinet, insisting
\nthat they would only talk to the President.<\/p>\n
They are calling for \"total reform\" and are refusing to
\ncompromise on their demands. The number of students taking part
\nin the protests is also growing, and lately, at least in Medan,
\nstudents have begun using Molotov cocktails.<\/p>\n
Observers say radicalism is not a feature of today's
\ndemonstrations given that ideology is no longer an issue. But
\nthey believe that protests could escalate and spread in the
\nabsence of any significant improvement in the country's
\nsituation.<\/p>\n
Where is all this leading to?<\/p>\n
Alliances between students and the public are developing as
\npublic sympathy for the students' cause grows, Sarwono says,
\nnoting that some government officials have also shown an
\nunderstanding of what the students aim to achieve.<\/p>\n
Sarwono recalls that in 1966, the military took a firm stand.<\/p>\n
\"What the movement needs to give it further impetus is for a
\nleader in the government to publicly declare his or her support
\nfor the students,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Islamic scholar Nurcholis Madjid said students and other pro-
\nreform activists should encourage a prominent, pro-reform leader
\nto come forward and lead the movement. Such a leader, he said,
\ncould come from either the government or the military.<\/p>\n
Nurcholis cited Philippines president Fidel Ramos, who was
\nformerly a Marcos loyalist and chief of the army during his rule.<\/p>\n
When a 'people power' movement against Marcos grew up in the
\nmid-1980s, Ramos switched allegiance and threw his support behind
\nCorazon Aquino.<\/p>\n
\"We need a person like Ramos,\" Nurcholis said.<\/p>\n
Sarwono said there was still time for the government to
\nrespond to student demands, \"which were moral issues and
\ntherefore difficult to argue against.\"<\/p>\n
The key word reform showed that students wanted leaders to
\ncorrect themselves, he pointed out.<\/p>\n
Sarwono said there was still a reservoir of goodwill among
\nstudents and they continued to believe and hope that leaders
\nwould prove capable of addressing the crisis.<\/p>\n
The next few days and weeks will show which way these protests
\nare heading.<\/p>\n
Some student leaders say the protests will escalate as the
\nmovement forges a common vision for reform.<\/p>\n
They are aware of public ambivalence toward their stance and
\nbelieve they must sell their ideas for reform to the people if
\ntheir support is to be counted on.<\/p>\n
Reform, said Haris Rusli Moti, chairman of the Committee of
\nPeople's Struggle for Reform (KPRP) and a student at Gadjah Mada
\nUniversity in Yogyakarta, is something we must fight for. \"It
\nwill never be a gift.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/protests-what-will-happen-next-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}