Students protest against bashing by soldiers<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): More than 350 students from Indonesia Christian
\nUniversity marched to the office of the National Commission on
\nHuman Rights yesterday in protest against soldiers who bashed
\nstudents at the university's Cawang campus Monday night.<\/p>\n
The protesters marched from the Jl. Salemba campus carrying
\nbanners.<\/p>\n
At the commission's office, the students met commission
\nsecretary-general Baharudin Lopa and demanded that the government
\ntry all soldiers involved in the attack.<\/p>\n
A spokesman for the students, Niko, said the Armed Forces
\nshould be held responsible for damage caused in the attack and
\nthat it should make an apology.<\/p>\n
Niko told Lopa that the attack was provoked by an incident at
\nthe Cawang campus when a soldier hit a student after he accused
\nthe student of extorting money from a person.<\/p>\n
When other students tried to intervene, the soldier pulled out
\nhis military knife, he said.<\/p>\n
Police stopped the scuffle and took the soldier to a nearby
\npolice station, Niko said.<\/p>\n
He said that when students went to the police station to ask
\nabout the soldier's identity, more than 60 soldiers from
\nChristian University Hospital came and beat them.<\/p>\n
They also beat other people who they thought were students, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said one student, Suzler, was beaten and dragged to nearby
\nJakarta Military Command Headquarters. He was later treated at
\nRidwan Meureksa Military Hospital for serious head injuries.<\/p>\n
Niko said the soldiers entered the Cawang campus, damaging
\nwindows of the main campus building and a security guard counter.
\nAt least five students were injured in the attack, which ended
\nearly Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n
Baharudin Lopa promised the students he would discuss the case
\nwith Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Sutiyoso. He called on
\nstudents and the military to be patient until the case was dealt
\nwith.<\/p>\n
Jakarta Military Command Spokesman DJ Nachrowi said Wednesday
\nthe incident started when a soldier saw a man extorting money
\nfrom another man.<\/p>\n
He said the man became agitated when the soldier approached
\nhim. The man and his friends then mobbed the soldier, he said.<\/p>\n
The soldier fled to a nearby police station because he was
\noutnumbered, Nachrowi said.<\/p>\n
He said the men later mobbed another soldier who was coming
\nout of the military headquarters.<\/p>\n
Some soldiers saw the mob and helped their friends, he said.<\/p>\n
He said the mob escaped and entered the university campus.
\n(jun)<\/p>",
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