Students extend demand on total govt reforms<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Protesting students and security personnel held
\ntheir ground yesterday, as though waiting for the other to blink,
\nin more of the student demonstrations for reform that began two
\nmonths ago and have yet to show signs of abating.<\/p>\n
Thousands of students kept up their rallies in Jakarta, the
\nNorth Sumatran capital of Medan, Central Java cities of Semarang
\nand Surakarta, Bali's capital of Denpasar, Pasuruan, East Java,
\nthe South Sulawesi capital of Ujungpandang, and in Yogyakarta.
\nThe protests, except for Medan, proceeded peacefully.<\/p>\n
Students attempted to take their protests onto the streets,
\nalthough security personnel did their utmost to make sure they
\nstayed on campus, a standoff of wills which had in the past
\ndescended into physical clashes.<\/p>\n
The students used the protests to blame the government for the
\neconomic crisis besetting the country, and to champion \"total
\nreforms\".<\/p>\n
They also urged the People's Consultative Assembly to convene
\nan extraordinary session to ask for President Soeharto's
\naccountability over the predicament.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, about 500 students of the Teachers' Training
\nInstitute made their mark by protesting on the street, remaining
\nthere for one and a half hours, and blocking traffic on Jl.
\nPemuda, East Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Banging drums, waving colorful banners and posters, they
\nmarched around their campus calling to their friends to join the
\nrally.<\/p>\n
\"Let's go on the street, now, but all must be in peace,\" said
\none student. Hundreds of female students wearing Moslem
\nheadscarves joined in, occupying two lanes of the eight-lane Jl.
\nPemuda. Hundreds of residents and motorists looked on.<\/p>\n
One big green banner had the message: \"Neo Tritura: Lakukan
\nReformasi Polek, Ciptakam Pemerintah Yang Bersih, Turunkan Harga
\n(New Demands of the People: Political and Economic Reforms, Clean
\nGovernance, Lower Prices).<\/p>\n
The East Jakarta police chief, Lt. Col. Syahrir Kuba, was on
\nthe scene, and urged the students to return to campus.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of security personnel watched the rally. A brief
\nscuffle broke out, but there were no reports of injuries or
\narrests. The students dispersed in peace.<\/p>\n
In Semarang, about 1,000 students from several universities
\ngathered at the Sultan Agung Islamic Institute.<\/p>\n
Several posters and banners read: Rakyat Kini Lapar (People
\nare Hungry Now), and Turunkan Pemimpin Yang tak Becus (Down with
\nIncapable Leaders). Another rally was held at the Diponegoro
\nUniversity.<\/p>\n
Antara reported that about 2,000 students held their rally at
\nthe Sebelas Maret University in Surakarta, featuring politician
\nMudrick Sangidu from the United Development Party.<\/p>\n
The students braved heavy rains to continue the demonstration
\nthat started in the early afternoon and ended at 4 p.m.<\/p>\n
In Pasuruan, 40 kilometers southeast of Surabaya, an estimated
\n2,000 people -- students, housewives, pedicab drivers and local
\nulemas -- staged a free speech forum on the Bangil roundabout.
\nThe mass gathered there after the Friday prayers.<\/p>\n
The hour-long protest was organized by the Indonesian Moslems
\nAction Front (KAMMI).<\/p>\n
In Ujungpandang, about 8,000 students from at least five
\nuniversities gathered at the Karebosi Square to perform their
\nFriday prayers and then stage a free-speech forum.<\/p>\n
No violence was reported.<\/p>\n
In Yogyakarta, a protest was staged on the field of the Kauman
\nmosque near the ancient royal palace. About 1,000 people attended
\nthe session which featured ulemas, student leaders and several
\nscholars.<\/p>\n
Among the ulemas addressing the protest gathering, held after
\nthe Friday prayer, was 80-year-old Kyai Haji Haiban Hadjid, a
\npatriarch of the Kauman Moslem community.<\/p>\n
\"The young people's spirit to uphold truth nowadays reminds me
\nof those in the 1945 (independence war) and 1966 (when students
\nhelped topple the Old Order regime). I pray for your fight,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, in Medan, the rally became violent when several
\nstudents, armed with stones and Molotov cocktails, clashed with
\nsecurity personnel with shields, batons, rubber bullets and tear-
\ngas canisters.<\/p>\n
The violence was reported to erupt around the campus of the
\nSumatra Utara Islamic University and the Institute of Technology
\nwhere thousands of students called for President Soeharto to step
\nside.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of shop owners near the campus closed their
\nbusinesses due to the fear of vandalism. (21\/23\/44\/30\/har\/nur\/aan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/students-extend-demand-on-total-govt-reforms-1447893297",
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