Student protests mar TNI anniversary<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Anti-military demonstrations in several cities
\nspoiled the 55th anniversary of the Indonesian Military (TNI) on
\nThursday.<\/p>\n
In Bandung, hundreds of students rallied asking the government
\nto withdraw the military's dual function and urged the military
\n(personnel) to stop involvement in business. Gathering at the
\nSiliwangi Military Command headquarters, they said that the
\nmilitary had been too tough against the labor and farmers'
\nmovement. The rally which started on Wednesday involved students
\nfrom the Indonesian Youth Awakening Forum, Parahyangan University
\nFamily, the Maranatha Christian University and the Bandung Young
\nIndonesian Forum (FIM-B).<\/p>\n
\"Military repression has destroyed the country's unity. It's
\ntime for the government to stop it,\" said Diki Heryanto, FIM-B
\nspokesman.<\/p>\n
In Banda Aceh, some 500 students flocked to the Teuku Umar
\nMilitary compound, demanding an end to violence and a thorough
\nprobe into human rights violations in the territory.<\/p>\n
The students, urging the withdrawal of military and police
\nsecurity personnel from Aceh, rejected the (current) imposition
\nof civil emergency status, and demanded the withdrawal of
\nmilitary dual function.<\/p>\n
\"Our demands should be considered as a sort of recommendation
\nto help restore peace and security in the area,\" the protesters'
\ncoordinator Samsul Bahari said.<\/p>\n
In their three-hour protest, the students also urged the
\nsecurity and the military wing of the Free Aceh Movement (AGAM)
\nto end the violence in the territory.<\/p>\n
The Surabaya students expressed their disagreement to the
\ngovernment plan to increase the military budget. \"We want the
\nmoney to fund education programs and help people,\" Susilo
\nRahardjo, the student spokesman said, adding that the students
\nrejected military involvement in business.<\/p>\n
The students from six organizations also claimed that Oct. 5
\nwas the Awakening of Civilian Supremacy Day, instead of
\nIndonesian Military Day.<\/p>\n
In Yogyakarta students rallied in three separate spots in
\nfront of the state building (Gedung Negara) on the Malioboro
\nthoroughfare, with similar demands. They rejected TNI's existence
\nin social and political life and demanded that military command
\noffices in provinces, mayoralties and regencies be eliminated.<\/p>\n
Each group had between 50 and 200 students. They were from the
\nCommittee of Anti-Violence (KMAK), the Crisis Caring Movement of
\nYogyakarta Institute of the Arts (GPK ISI Yogyakarta), and the
\nJanabadra University.<\/p>\n
The peaceful action was spoiled by a group of unidentified
\npeople garbed in black, who attacked the KMAK members for unclear
\nreasons. Two KMAK members were injured in the assault.<\/p>\n
The Central Java capital of Semarang was also rocked by
\nstudent demonstrations protesting militarism. Around 100
\nprotesters from the Student Executive Body and Indonesian
\nStudent-People Forum (Formasi) grouped and marched in the city's
\nstreets, urging the military to return to its main function as
\nthe country's defenders only.<\/p>\n
They accused the military of abusing human rights and causing
\nprolonged chaos in the country.<\/p>\n
The minister<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Minister of National Education Yahya Muhaimin urged
\nthe students to keep focused on their fight for reform through
\ndialog and lobbying, instead of violence.<\/p>\n
\"Lately, many demonstrations and other student movements have
\nended up in clashes with security forces.<\/p>\n
\"If these continue, it will be counterproductive, especially
\nsince their aspirations would not be realized.<\/p>\n
\"The students should not have carried weapons or molotov
\ncocktails with them.. What's the use of the stuff if they want to
\nexpress their aspirations?\"<\/p>\n
The police and the military, however, should have also
\nrestrained themselves, and been more patient.<\/p>\n
Staging protests against the military's dual function was part
\nof a democratic process, he said. \"But the most important thing
\nis the essence of the protest, which should not be through
\nviolence,\" he stressed.<\/p>\n
The minister further expressed his concern over a recent brawl
\nbetween members of the students' regiment (Menwa) and (ordinary)
\nstudents at the Krisnadwipayana University in East Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"I'm very concerned. It clearly illustrates how violence is so
\neasily used and has become common among students. They have to
\ngrow up,\" he said. (team)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/student-protests-mar-tni-anniversary-1447893297",
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