Students injured in campus clash<\/p>\n
Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar<\/p>\n
Engineering took on the social sciences on Thursday as hundreds
\nof students at the University of Hasanuddin here ran amok,
\nleaving a dozen people injured, one seriously.<\/p>\n
The all-out brawl, which started at about 2 p.m. inside the
\ncampus, ended after Makassar Police arrived at the scene and
\nfired warning shots into the air.<\/p>\n
The clash between students of the university's School of
\nSocial and Political Sciences and those from the School of
\nEngineering was triggered by the reported kidnap and beating of
\ntwo new engineering students -- Abel Paturu and Jonathan -- when
\nthey passed the social sciences building.<\/p>\n
Witnesses said Abel was beaten while being held by the social
\nscience students but Jonathan managed to flee and reported the
\ncase to his seniors.<\/p>\n
An hour later, hundreds of engineering students stormed the
\nSchool of Social and Political Sciences, and a pitched battle
\nensued.<\/p>\n
The two rival student groups hurled stones and other solid
\nobjects at one another, defying orders by campus administrators
\nand security guards to end the violence.<\/p>\n
The fighting shattered windows and injured a dozen of
\nstudents, including one identified as Yudi, who received serious
\nhead injuries.<\/p>\n
He was rushed to Makassar's Wahidin Sudirohusodo Hospital.<\/p>\n
University staff said material losses from the clash were
\nbeing calculated.<\/p>\n
East Makassar Police officers arrived an hour after the brawl
\nbegan and fired warning shorts into the air to quell the unrest.<\/p>\n
University assistant rector Ambo Ala said the campus would
\nremain open despite the incident.<\/p>\n
He said the university has asked the police to post at least
\n15 officers on campus until Sunday to prevent a further brawl.<\/p>\n
\"We will not close the campus or send home students. All
\nlecturing, academic and administrative activities will continue
\nas normal. We only ask for security assistance from the police,\"
\nAmbo said.<\/p>\n
He said campus staff and police were cooperating in
\ninvestigating the clash to find the masterminds.<\/p>\n
\"Those found guilty of involvement in the incident will face
\nacademic sanctions and legal action,\" Ambo said without
\nelaborating.<\/p>\n
Student brawls on the campus take place almost every year and
\nare often sparked by trivial matters.<\/p>\n
The worst violence broke out in 1992, when students set ablaze
\na laboratory building at the School of Engineering.<\/p>\n
Early in July, Makassar police arrested six students and
\nseized molotov cocktails, arrows and machetes in a crackdown on
\nHasanuddin University students, following a brawl that left
\nseveral students injured and scores of buildings damaged.<\/p>\n
A week later, five people suffered severe stab wounds and two
\nbuildings were burned to the ground after two rival groups from
\nthe Indonesian Muslim University clashed over an initiation
\nprogram for freshmen. The students were armed with swords and
\nspears.<\/p>\n
A brawl also broke out at the State University of Makassar
\n(UNM), in which three people suffered gunshot wounds, last
\nAugust.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/students-injured-in-campus-clash-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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