Students call for Wiranto resignation nation-wide<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Demonstrations continued nationwide on Monday to
\ndemand Armed Forces' accountability for the arbitrary shooting of
\nprotesters in Jakarta. Tens of thousands of students also
\ndemanded an end to the Armed Forces' (ABRI) dual role doctrine
\njustifying military interference in virtually all spheres of
\nlife. Many called on Minister of Defense and Security\/ABRI
\nCommander Gen. Wiranto to resign.<\/p>\n
Some groups warned against efforts to provoke students into
\nanarchy. In Ambon a clash with security officers led to seven
\nstudents being hospitalized.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta Minister of Education and Culture Juwono Sudarsono
\nhad said Monday that some \"radical\" students had deliberately
\nprovoked others before the shooting.<\/p>\n
From Ambon Antara reported that at least seven students of
\nstate-run Pattimura University (Unpatti) were admitted to
\nDr. Haulussy hospital here Monday night after a clash with
\nsecurity forces in front of the local military command.<\/p>\n
Witnesses said students were beaten by security personnel with
\nwooden sticks as they were passing the command on Jl. Diponegoro.
\nThe seven seriously wounded students were Muchlis Fataruba,
\nMuhammad Taher, Said, Upi, Khalik Rumkel, Jerry Pattiwael and
\nStevanus Apituley. Ten others were arrested for questioning and
\nscores of buildings were pelted with stones.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of students had occupied the local RRI radio station
\nand forced broadcasters to air their demands at 6:30 a.m.<\/p>\n
A few hundred students in Jakarta with groups such as Alliance
\nfor People's Democracy (Aldera) and the Committee to Save
\nPeople's Economy marched with residents to the house of former
\npresident Soeharto on Jl. Cendana, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The protesters demanded trial for Soeharto for abuses of
\npower, on which was blamed all tragedies even after he stepped
\ndown in May. They were stopped at Surapati Park by Marines who
\nsaid students' safety could not be guaranteed if they pressed on.<\/p>\n
At the House of Representatives some 75 students from
\nJakarta's Islamic Studies Institute met with United Development
\nParty faction leader Faisal Baasir at the gates. Faisal said
\ntheir demands that Wiranto resign following the death of 15
\nincluding seven students on Thursday and Friday \"would serve as
\nreference to the faction.\"<\/p>\n
Another few hundred students including those from the National
\nFront protested at the Jakarta Legal Aid Office while Bogor's
\nPakuan University students were prevented from entering the city
\nnear the Jagorawi toll entry. A group of Gunadarma University
\nstudents heading for the House of Representatives were stopped at
\nthe front of the Jakarta police headquarters on Jl. Sudirman.<\/p>\n
In Bogor students aired their demands of investigation into
\nthe Semanggi tragedy through the state-owned RRI radio station.<\/p>\n
At Trisakti University, West Jakarta, some 500 students said
\nprayers for the victims. Trisakti is where four students were
\nshot in May, also victims of troops firing on a peaceful rally.
\nThe killings remain unexplained.<\/p>\n
Representatives of 15 campuses and student groups who gathered
\nthere demanded the end to ABRI's dual role and Wiranto's
\naccountability for abuse of human rights. They also demanded
\nspeedy investigation of former president Soeharto and appealed
\nfor restraint in the face of \"all anti-democracy provocation.\"<\/p>\n
In Medan, student marches targeted the state-run TVRI
\ntelevision station in Medan, the North Sumatra branch of the
\nruling Golkar party, the Bukit Barisan military command and the
\nstate-run RRI radio station.<\/p>\n
Medan students had earlier occupied the Polonia international
\nairport which led to damage of facilities after they could not
\ncontain crowds who joined in.<\/p>\n
Students of St. Thomas University declared the shooting of
\nstudents in Jakarta and Bandung, along with the shooting of the
\nTrisakti University students in May proof of ABRI's
\nunaccountability. They demanded the end to ABRI's sociopolitical
\nrole and reiterated a call for Wiranto to resign.<\/p>\n
Students of the North Sumatra University rallying in front of
\nthe RRI station, also rejected the Special Session results of
\nNov. 10 through Nov.13. At the Bukit Barisan military command,
\nwhich oversees Sumatra, students presented a wreath to the deputy
\nof operations there, Lt. Col. Chairuddin Aziz.<\/p>\n
Dozens of students of the Front of Indonesian Moslem Students'
\nAction told members of the provincial Golkar that Golkar, the
\nAssembly's largest faction, had \"betrayed\" the people and also
\ndemanded Wiranto's accountability.<\/p>\n
In Purwokerto, Central Java, some 7,000 students pledged a
\nstrike since Saturday in protest at the Semanggi massacre. They
\nwere from the Gen. Soedirman University (Unsoed), Wijaya Kusuma
\nUniversity and the Purwokerto Islamic Studies College.<\/p>\n
\"We will strike for a week and we demand Wiranto's
\naccountability for the tragedy. President B.J. Habibie must also
\napologize,\" the Senate head of Unsoed, Kundiyarto said. On
\nSaturday thousands of students had occupied the Banyumas military
\ncommand. Wijaya Kusuma rector Iswanto supported the strike.<\/p>\n
\"Who else would fight for their colleagues if not students
\nthemselves?\" he asked.<\/p>\n
Some 10,000 students marched in Yogyakarta to demand the end
\nof ABRI's dual role. Coordinated by the Students' Solidarity for
\nPeople's Sovereignty, they packed the famed Jl. Malioboro for
\nfour hours. But business went on as usual.<\/p>\n
\"Do not let this case be closed,\" shouted Imam, a protester
\nfrom the Indonesian Islam University. For 30 minutes students
\nmanaged, after tough negotiations with the military commander, to
\nenter the palace to raise a flag at half mast and hold a mourning
\nceremony.<\/p>\n
In Padang, West Sumatra, thousands of students demanded that
\nWiranto resign and that Golkar immediately apologize for past
\nsins and \"dissolve.\" They marched for five kilometers towards the
\nmilitary command, but violence occurred as some students
\nshattered the glass windows of the provincial Golkar office.<\/p>\n
In Semarang, Central Java, effigies were burnt in anger at the
\nSemanggi killings. Hundreds of students raising similar demands
\ngrouped in the Semarang Young Generation's Forum caused a two-
\nhour congestion around the Simpang Lima center.<\/p>\n
Antara reported that in Manado, North Sulawesi, some 500
\nstudents from various universities rallied in front of the local
\nmilitary command. Students called for the abolition of the decree
\nadopted by the recent Assembly session justifying the
\nrepresentation of ABRI in the legislature. They also called for
\nthe accountability of former president Soeharto for his abuse of
\npower.<\/p>\n
In Bandung students also marched in the thousands in heavy
\nrain to the governor's office in Gedung Sate and raised a flag at
\nhalf-mast.<\/p>\n
In Kupang, East Nusa Teggara around 1,000 students occupied
\nthe local council and set up a \"shadow parliament.\"<\/p>\n
Two students lowered the flag there to half-mast in honor of
\nvictims in Jakarta. They pledged to occupy the council through
\nTuesday to wait for the council speaker, and stated rejection of
\nthe Assembly session results. (team)<\/p>",
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