Students vow to rally until vital changes are achieved<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Students who have temporarily abandoned their
\nstudies and families to attend unrelenting antigovernment rallies
\nhave vowed to continue protesting until substantial change has
\nbeen achieved.<\/p>\n
Senior student representatives told The Jakarta Post on
\ndifferent occasions late last week that the batons, tear gas and
\nrubber bullets of the security forces will not stop their marches
\ndemanding immediate reform.<\/p>\n
\"We will continue our rallies until President Soeharto steps
\ndown and total political and economic reform has been properly
\nimplemented,\" Rahmatullah L.N., a student leader at Attahiriyah
\nIslamic University in East Jakarta, said.<\/p>\n
Burhan, a student from Syarif Hidayatullah Institute of
\nIslamic Teachings (IAIN) in South Jakarta, said most people were
\nfrustrated and had lost faith in all constitutional ways of
\nchanneling their aspirations.<\/p>\n
\"That's why we have been able to keep up such prolonged
\ndemonstrations,\" Burhan, who has been assaulted by security
\nofficials on a number of occasions, said.<\/p>\n
Students also expressed skepticism over the government's
\npledge to reform because significant change had yet to be felt in
\nthe community.<\/p>\n
\"If Soeharto was serious about reforming, he would have
\ndelivered significant results felt by all the nation by now,\"
\nRahmatullah said.<\/p>\n
Students believe that government rhetoric must not be allowed
\nto parry widespread popular demands for reform.<\/p>\n
Riza Setiawan of Muhamaddiyah University said he and his
\nfriends had vowed to continue demonstrating because they had
\nlearned that reforms, as desired by society at large, had yet to
\nbe carried out.<\/p>\n
\"I have to admit that my friends and I are getting tired of
\nstaging protests, but our will to go on is always lifted when we
\nsee that reforms have not yet taken place,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Anita R., a student demonstrator from Trisakti University,
\nsaid protests must continue in order to \"waken-up\" the
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
\"For many years, they (the government) never listen to the
\npeople. They seemed to have some kind of allergy to criticism.<\/p>\n
\"Students have been a quiet group, alienated from any
\nimportant role in this country for a long time. So even if I'm
\ntired, thousands of other students will continue to stage rallies
\nuntil reforms are made,\" the 22-year-old girl said.<\/p>\n
Nationwide student demonstrations, which now involve many non-
\nstudent participants, began in late February in response to the
\nrising price of essential goods and services in the aftermath of
\na plunge in the value of the rupiah against the U.S. dollar.<\/p>\n
The recent government decision to increase the price of oil,
\ngasoline and electricity has added to the nation's anger because
\nof the knock-on effect on the price of goods and services
\nthroughout the economy.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has approximately 2.5 million students and 1,400
\nuniversities. A number of universities have temporarily suspended
\nnormal activities.<\/p>\n
Some students said their parents worried about them during
\ndemonstrations.<\/p>\n
\"But eventually they stopped worrying and said 'please don't
\ndie on us, just get a safe job after you graduate'\", Budi S.
\nPramudya from Mercu Buana University said.<\/p>\n
Burhan said he had been away from home for almost two weeks,
\nduring which he had slept in friends' houses.<\/p>\n
\"I send messages to my family through friends telling them
\nthat I'm safe and sound,\" he said. (edt\/ivy)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/students-vow-to-rally-until-vital-changes-are-achieved-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}