Soeharto gives students new reminder<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto has again urged students to
\nreturn to their studies, reminding them that university campuses
\nwere built for learning not staging nonacademic activities.<\/p>\n
The President noted that if the current succession of student
\ndemonstrations and rallies continued it would disrupt the
\nteaching process.<\/p>\n
"The president remarked that campuses were built as learning
\ninstitutions to prepare leaders of the future," Maj. Gen. Tyasno
\nSoedarto told journalists after meeting with Soeharto at Bina
\nGraha presidential office here yesterday.<\/p>\n
"Of course with the recurring demonstrations the process of
\nlearning is disturbed on the campuses," the newly installed
\ncommander of the Diponegoro Military Command said, quoting
\nSoeharto.<\/p>\n
Tyasno and his predecessor, Maj. Gen. Mardiyanto, met with the
\nPresident to report on the change in command.<\/p>\n
Tyasno was installed Monday, while Mardiyanto was promoted to
\nassistant to the Armed Forces chief of sociopolitical affairs.<\/p>\n
Yesterday's caution for students to return to class was the
\nthird made by the President this week.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, Soeharto through Minister of Education and
\nCulture Wiranto Arismunandar told students to return to their
\nstudies because the nation badly needed their skills and
\nleadership in the future.<\/p>\n
The following day, the President, in a written address at the
\n46th anniversary celebrations for the Army's special force
\n(Kopassus), said the security apparatuses could use repressive
\nmeasures to deal with demonstrators in a critical or emergency
\nsituation.<\/p>\n
Tyasno yesterday vowed to employ persuasive and educative
\napproaches with students in his area of command -- Central Java
\nand Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
"They (demonstrations) are still tolerable as far as they are
\ncarried out in accordance with the rules of the game," the two-
\nstar general said.<\/p>\n
The area of Tyasno's new command has witnessed some of the
\nbloodiest clashes recently between students and security forces.<\/p>\n
At least five police officers and a dozen youths were injured
\nin Yogyakarta early this month when about 2,000 students clashed
\nviolently with 500 security personnel.<\/p>\n
Separately, visiting United States Assistant Secretary of
\nState for East Asia and Pacific Affairs Stanley Roth expressed
\nhope that the demonstrations could proceed peacefully with both
\nstudents and authorities exercising restraint.<\/p>\n
"The most important thing is that students express their
\nfeelings peacefully and there is an ability from the authorities
\nto avoid violence," he said, adding that officials have assured
\nhim of their wish to keep the demonstrations peaceful.<\/p>\n
"I emphasize the importance of continuing restraints on the
\npart of the authorities in terms of dealing with the
\ndemonstrations," Roth said. "Obviously, the U.S. supports freedom
\nof expression."<\/p>\n
Speaking to journalists at a media briefing here yesterday,
\nRoth also stressed the need for an effective dialog between
\nstudents and authorities to be established.<\/p>\n
He also called on the Indonesian government to investigate the
\ncase of the missing activists.<\/p>\n
He said he had appealed to Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali
\nAlatas and other officials to investigate. "I urged them to do
\nthis as soon as possible."<\/p>\n
According to Roth, the officials he has met with have
\nindicated "they understood the seriousness of this issue and are
\ntaking steps to clarify the status of the disappeared".<\/p>\n
Roth, during his stay, has met with, among others, Vice
\nPresident B.J. Habibie, Minister of Environment Juwono Sudarsono,
\nand Coordinating Minister for Economy, Finance and Industry
\nGinandjar Kartasamita. (prb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/soeharto-gives-students-new-reminder-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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