Students urge government to put a stop bloodshed<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): About 200 students protested in front of the
\nMinistry of Defense and Security, demanding the government and
\nthe military take firm action to resolve recent incidents of
\nunrest because of the threat to national unity.<\/p>\n
"If President B.J. Habibie and Armed Forces Commander Gen.
\nWiranto fail to halt the continuing unrest, they'd better
\nresign," said Alawy, a coordinator of the protest led by the
\nCommunication Forum for Greater Jakarta Student Senates.<\/p>\n
Alawy reiterated the nation's leaders were responsible for
\neffecting a solution to ethnic and sectarian discord which has
\nclaimed hundreds of lives over the last few months.<\/p>\n
Terming Habibie's administration "a transitional government",
\nAlawy urged leaders to guarantee the June general election would
\nbe conducted freely and justly.<\/p>\n
"No free and fair election can be accomplished unless the
\ngovernment and the Armed Forces succeed in halting the recent
\nviolence," he said.<\/p>\n
Protesters also urged the government to give greater autonomy
\nto all regions on political, economic and cultural affairs as
\npart of an overall solution for the battered nation, which they
\nbelieved was on the brink of disintegration.<\/p>\n
"Violence is caused partly by the absence of equal
\ndistribution of the fruit of development between the central and
\nregional governments," the protesters said in a media release.<\/p>\n
Guarded by about 50 riot police officers at the Central
\nJakarta ministry, they unfurled banners and posters, with
\nmessages including: "Disintegration-Federation, No, Unitary
\nState, Yes" and "Peace for Indonesia. Stop the Nation's
\nDisintegration."<\/p>\n
A caricature compared Habibie with former Soviet leader
\nMikhail Gorbachev, blamed by some for the disintegration of the
\nSoviet Union in 1991.<\/p>\n
Protesters chanted "Long live students" and sang heroic songs.<\/p>\n
Others distributed leaflets and statements to passing
\nmotorists and public transportation passengers.<\/p>\n
Four representatives of the protesters failed in their quest
\nto meet Wiranto to convey their grievance.<\/p>\n
Col. Dasiran, who received the four representatives at the
\nministry building, told them that Wiranto was busy attending a
\nspecial meeting. (01)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/students-urge-government-to-put-a-stop-bloodshed-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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