Students demand constitutional reforms<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari and Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
As the Annual Session of the People's Consultative Assembly
\n(MPR) entered its sixth day, thousands of student protesters
\nstaged a rally outside the Assembly building here on Tuesday
\ndemanding that the lawmakers proceed with and endorse crucial
\namendments to the 1945 Constitution.<\/p>\n
The students, grouped under the student executive bodies from
\na number of universities and loose student groupings in the
\nGreater Jakarta area, started the rally at about 8:30 a.m. by
\nunfurling posters and banners which read, among other things,
\n\"Anti-amendment equals anti-reform,\" and \"Amendment is needed for
\na clean and legitimate government.\"<\/p>\n
\"Continue the amendment process, safeguard the reforms!\", the
\nstudents shouted.<\/p>\n
Among the students participating in the rally were groups from
\nthe University of Indonesia (UI), University of Jakarta (UNJ),
\nTrisakti University and the Indonesian Muslim Students Action
\nFront (KAMMI).<\/p>\n
As the situation became tense, security personnel stayed alert
\nwith at least three armored vehicles parked near the front gate.
\nBarbed wire was also rolled out to prevent protesters from
\nentering the MPR compound.<\/p>\n
Later in the day, as the protesters proceeded to the
\nbuilding's main front entrance and tried to break through in an
\neffort to enter the legislative compound, police personnel used
\nwater cannon to drive the protesters back. No injuries or arrests
\nwere reported.<\/p>\n
The Assembly is holding its 10-day Annual Session during which
\nit is to decide on the amendment of several crucial articles of
\nthe Constitution with a view to, among other things, instituting
\ndirect presidential elections and changing the make-up of the
\nAssembly itself.<\/p>\n
Also on the agenda is the proposal by several Islamic-based
\npolitical parties that the seven words of the Jakarta Charter be
\ninserted into the Constitution, thereby accommodating the demand
\nfrom some quarters for sharia.<\/p>\n
As reported earlier, more than a hundred legislators have
\nsigned a petition asking for a halt to the amendment process and
\nfor a return to the unamended 1945 Constitution.<\/p>\n
Fifteen students representing the protesters eventually
\nentered the Assembly building at 12 midday, and asked the
\nlegislators to meet the protesters outside the compound.<\/p>\n
The students asked for the politicians' assurances that they
\nwould complete the amendment process and remain committed to the
\nreform agenda.<\/p>\n
\"You (legislators) must put your signatures to a document
\nguaranteeing continued constitutional reform. Its signing must be
\nwitnessed by the protesting students,\" said Marbun, an activist
\nfrom the University of Indonesia (UI).<\/p>\n
Ten legislators agreed to meet the students' demands and left
\nthe Assembly building escorted by the student activists. They
\nwere Jakob Tobing of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
\n(PDI Perjuangan) faction; Fahmi Idris, Theo L. Sambuaga and Andi
\nMattalata of the Golkar Party faction; Ali Masykur Musa of the
\nNational Awakening Party (PKB) faction; Zein Badjeber of the
\nUnited Development Party (PPP) faction; Asnawi Latif of the
\nPeople's Sovereignty Party (PDU) faction; Harun Kamil of the
\nInterest Groups faction; Ahmad Sumargono of the Crescent Star
\nParty (PBB) faction; and Oesman Sapta Odang of the Regional
\nRepresentatives faction.<\/p>\n
Upon their arrival at the front gate of the Assembly compound,
\nno cheers greeted the legislators. Instead, the students turned
\ntheir backs and jeered them.<\/p>\n
One of the protest leaders attempted to calm down the
\nprotesters and asked Jakob Tobing, who chairs Commission A on the
\namendment of the Constitution, to deliver a speech.<\/p>\n
\"The PDI Perjuangan will unite to press ahead with
\nconstitutional reform,\" Jakob said.<\/p>\n
As the rally in Jakarta ended in a minor clash between student
\nprotesters and security officers, members of the student
\nexecutive body from the Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology
\n(BEM-ITS) voiced their demands for the continuation of the
\namendment process to the East Java Provincial Legislative Council
\nin Surabaya on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\"The amendment of the 1945 Constitution is mandated by the
\nreform movement for a just and egalitarian Indonesia,\" said BEM-
\nITS president Nugroho Fredivianus during a meeting with three
\nEast Java provincial councillors as quoted by Antara.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/students-demand-constitutional-reforms-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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