Thousands join rally in reform protest<\/p>\n
Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Close to 6,000 protesters took to the streets of Jakarta on
\nTuesday to mourn the failure of the reform movement to bring
\nabout change after its initial success in removing former
\nauthoritarian president Soeharto from power five years ago.<\/p>\n
In a march coinciding with National Awakening Day, the
\ndemonstrators protested against the ruling coalition led by
\nPresident Megawati Soekarnoputri, which they said had betrayed
\nthe reform spirit.<\/p>\n
As former president Soeharto stepped down in disgrace on May
\n21, 1998, Indonesians agreed on six reform items: Sending
\nSoeharto and his corrupt cronies to trial, amending the
\nConstitution, upholding supremacy of the law, removing the
\nmilitary from its political role, imposing regional autonomy and
\nestablishing democracy.<\/p>\n
\"But look at what has happened. Soeharto has never been
\nbrought to trial for the abuses during his ruthless 30-year,
\nregime that only brought poverty, and a convict is still allowed
\nto chair the legislative body,\" student activist Fachri Hamzah
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Soeharto was sent to court on corruption charges in 2000, but
\nthe judges ruled that he was too ill to stand trial.<\/p>\n
Last year the Central Jakarta District Court sentenced house
\nspeaker Akbar Tanjung, who is also leader of the Golkar party, to
\nthree years in jail for helping steal Rp 40 billion intended to
\nfeed the poor. Though the High Court upheld the verdict, Akbar
\nhas not been jailed and still retains his power.<\/p>\n
Fachri said repression had returned as those who dared to
\nspeak out against the president were jailed for one year \"while
\nconvicted corruptors who embezzled trillions of rupiah from the
\nstate only got few months.\"<\/p>\n
During his speech, on a truck converted into a stage, at the
\nHotel Indonesia traffic circle, Fachri said politicians who
\nearlier claimed to be reformists did not aim to create a better
\nIndonesia but were only interested in perpetuating power.<\/p>\n
Fachri is the first chairman of the Indonesian Muslim Students
\nAction Front (KAMMI). As a student activist he played an
\nimportant role in the reform movement in 1998, a year in which a
\nnumber of students were killed during protests.<\/p>\n
The demonstrators, comprising the Greater Jakarta Students
\nExecutive Body, KAMMI and a range of other groups, including the
\nSociety Against State Assets Takeover, the Society Against
\nCorruption and Opposing Youth Movement, chanted demands for
\nMegawati and Vice President Hamzah Haz to resign.<\/p>\n
Traffic was blocked during the demonstration but congestion
\neased as the demonstrators moved their protests to the front of
\nthe Presidential Palace. Four police armored vehicles equipped
\nwith water canons watched over proceedings.<\/p>\n
The students plan to hold further demonstrations in the
\ncapital on Wednesday when students from West Java, who are on a
\n200-kilometer march, are expected to arrive in Jakarta to
\ncelebrate Soeharto's resignation.<\/p>\n
The students did not provide details of their intended route
\nfor fear police would block their way.<\/p>",
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