Students demand answers in beatings<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Dozens of student representatives from various universities
\nreported the Jakarta Police force to the National Commission on
\nHuman Rights (Komnas HAM) on Saturday after the beating they
\nsuffered at the hands of baton-wielding riot policemen as the
\nstudents gathered in front of the Supreme Court building on
\nThursday.<\/p>\n
The incident took place around 3 p.m. on the day the Court
\noverturned Golkar Party chairman and House of Representatives
\nSpeaker Akbar Tandjung's corruption conviction. At least 73
\nstudents were hospitalized, with at least one was known to have
\nsuffered a severe skull fracture.<\/p>\n
The Student Executive Body of the University of Indonesia
\n(BEM-UI) chairman Ahmad Nur Hidayat demanded an inquiry into the
\nviolence, which was shown live by nearly all local television
\nstations.<\/p>\n
"It was not a clash between students and police officers. It
\nwas an attack by the police against us ... we did not attack
\nthem," he told Komnas HAM members Muhammad Billah and Taheri Noor
\nwho met with the students.<\/p>\n
Thursday's rally initially was peaceful with thousands of
\nstudents making speeches about 200 meters away from the Court
\nbuilding, surrounded by hundreds of police.<\/p>\n
The police earlier claimed that it started with the students
\npushing through the police line, but on Friday their commander
\nsaid it began when an unidentified person tossed a bottle in the
\npolice officers' general direction, which caused the cops to run
\namok. Television footage showed the officers charging into the
\nstudent section indiscriminately bludgeoning any student within
\nreach for several minutes as the students were fleeing.<\/p>\n
The policemen were also seen hurling bottles at the retreating
\nstudents, after they confiscated them from nearby street vendors.<\/p>\n
Ahmad added that the students had a proper police permit for
\nthe rally and did not clash with Akbar's supporters.<\/p>\n
"The incident seemed to start with objects being thrown at
\nus," he reckoned.<\/p>\n
Maksum Jatmiko, another UI student, added that a number of
\nseemingly very young police officers attacked the students.
\n"Obviously, as a large number of us were wounded, that indicates
\nthat we were attacked," he added.<\/p>\n
The police claimed that there were 10 of their own hurt, but
\nno further details have been revealed.<\/p>\n
Febi Duratman, who was nearly maimed in the melee, asserted
\nthat a group of policemen continued to club and kick him as he
\nwas lying on the ground dazed and confused. "I don't recall
\nanything after the first eight or so blows were delivered," said
\nFebi, who has a nasty gash above his left eye.<\/p>\n
Billah, meanwhile, promised to carry out an inquiry, and he
\ninstructed the students to help the rights body by supplying
\nclear, concise information. "Accurate information from all of you
\nwill help us in investigating this case," he said, adding that
\nKomnas HAM had already begun collecting some information from
\nmedia reports.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/students-demand-answers-in-beatings-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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