Ujungpandang still tense after students protest<\/p>\n
UJUNGPANDANG, South Sulawesi (JP): The massive student
\nprotests against a public transport fare increase which began on
\nMonday and led to three deaths, started to die down yesterday
\nalthough the situation remains tense.<\/p>\n
Smaller groups of students from four private universities were
\nstill seen staging sporadic demonstrations, burning tires, and
\nsetting up roadblocks. Their protests, however, was not as
\nformidable as on the first day of the protest when 10,000
\nstudents took to the streets simultaneously.<\/p>\n
Although traffic was still paralyzed in many parts of the
\ncity, a number of public transport vehicles, known locally as
\npete-pete had started to ply some alternative routes. It was the
\nplanned increase of the pete-pete fare, from Rp 300 (13 U.S.
\ncents) to Rp 500 (21 cents), that the students were protesting
\nagainst.<\/p>\n
Scores of police and other security officers were still seen
\nguarding the campuses of Hasanuddin University, the Indonesian
\nMoslem University, the Muhammadiyah University and the Alaudin
\nInstitute for Islamic Studies.<\/p>\n
All of the universities in the city yesterday held a shalat
\ngaib, a special prayer for Syaiful, Sultan and Adnan, the
\nstudents at the Moslem University who died in police raids on
\ntheir campus. Syaiful died on Wednesday, while Sultan and Adnan
\ndied on Thursday.<\/p>\n
A witness said that students panicked when security officers
\nstormed the campus and chased them with rattan sticks. It was
\nduring the confusion that the students fell into the Pampang
\nRiver just behind the campus, and drowned.<\/p>\n
The river is about 10 meters wide and does not have strong
\ncurrent, but is very muddy. "All of the other students were in
\ntoo great a panic to help them," said a resident.<\/p>\n
Sultan and Adnan were buried yesterday in Panaikan Cemetery,
\nbut only after their bodies were carried in a long procession
\nthrough some of the jammed city thoroughfares.<\/p>\n
Reports of fatalities vary, with some organizations such as
\nthe Ujungpandang office of the Indonesian Legal Aid organization
\nsaying that six people have died.<\/p>\n
There were also reports that some students were shot dead by
\nthe military. The local military headquarters, however, has
\ndenied this.<\/p>\n
The South Sulawesi provincial government has responded to the
\nunrest by declaring on Thursday that it was canceling the
\nUjungpandang mayor's decree on the fare increase.<\/p>\n
Governor Zainal Basri Palaguna, who is currently on haj
\npilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, held a meeting with a number
\nof officials in his entourage, including Mayor Malik B. Masry, to
\ndiscuss the situation. Palaguna conveyed his condolences to the
\nrelatives of the three students who died.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, legislators deplored the fatalities in the student
\nprotests, warning that harsh action against peaceful
\ndemonstrators only worsens such situations.<\/p>\n
Oka Mahendra and Sabam Sirait, House members from Golkar and
\nthe Indonesian Democratic Party respectively, called on the
\nstudents and the authorities in Ujungpandang to avoid violence.<\/p>\n
"Security authorities should not overstep their authority in
\ntheir efforts to restore order," said Oka Mahendra from House
\nCommission II on domestic political affairs.<\/p>\n
"If the authorities use violence to put out violence, the
\nresult will be predictable."<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, House member Sabam Sirait said authorities' harsh
\naction would only heighten political tension in the run-up to the
\n1997 election.<\/p>\n
"The public needs a sense of security," said the House
\nCommission I overseeing defense and security.<\/p>\n
Sabam said the root of the problem was the government's
\ninability to organize a transport strategy for the common people
\nwhich is cheap and reliable.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that countries like India and the Philippines
\ndo not have oil but have better transport concepts.<\/p>\n
In Denpasar, Bali, Armed Forces Chief for General Affairs Lt.
\nGen. Soeyono said the military would take firm action against
\nanybody found behind the protests.<\/p>\n
"We will punish whoever masterminded the protests," he was
\nquoted by Antara as saying yesterday. (20\/imn\/16\/pan)<\/p>\n
Editorial -- Page 4<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ujungpandang-still-tense-after-students-protest-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }