Violence in Medan exception to calm student protests<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Student rallies protesting the dire economic
\nsituation continued across the country yesterday, but yet more
\nviolence in Medan, North Sumatra, was the lone blemish on the
\notherwise peaceful protests.<\/p>\n
The fracas near the North Sumatra University campus was tinged
\nwith the odor of burning wheels as students pelted security
\nofficers with rocks and Molotov cocktails.<\/p>\n
Police launched tear gas canisters to disperse the students.<\/p>\n
The students took two motorcycles belonging to police and set
\nthem on fire.<\/p>\n
The violence erupted as thousands of students, who had
\ngathered inside the campus grounds to stage a demonstration
\nprotesting the government's handling of the economic crisis,
\ntried to march onto the streets.<\/p>\n
Security officers had assembled in anticipation of the move
\nand blocked the students.<\/p>\n
After a brief scuffle the demonstrators vented their
\nfrustration by throwing rocks at the security officers.<\/p>\n
There were no immediate reports of serious injuries.<\/p>\n
North Sumatra's military chief of staff, Brig. Gen. Djibut
\nHindartono, deplored the violence, particularly the behavior of
\nthe students.<\/p>\n
Medan was a stark contrast to calm protest rallies in other
\ncities such as Yogyakarta, Surabaya, Kudus, Surakarta,
\nUjungpandang, Semarang and Surabaya.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere<\/p>\n
In Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi's capital, about 10,000
\nstudents from at least six universities in the city gathered at
\nthe city council office on Jl. Urip Sumoharjo to stage a joint
\nfree-speech forum on its grounds.<\/p>\n
Student groups marched separately from their campuses through
\ncity streets, carrying posters and banners with statements
\ncritical of the government. Many even took public transportation
\nbuses to the site.<\/p>\n
On the city council grounds, student leaders took turns
\naddressing students, most of whom were clad in their respective
\nuniversity jackets, with fiery antigovernment speeches.<\/p>\n
Their demands included the lowering of prices of basic
\ncommodities and the resignation of Minister of Education and
\nCulture Wiranto Arismunandar.<\/p>\n
Students were from Hassanuddin University, Cokroaminoto
\nUniversity, Muhammadiyah University, University '45, and the
\neconomic and management institutes of STIEM-LPI and STIE-YPUP.<\/p>\n
After about four hours, the students marched peacefully back
\nto their campuses. Security officials watched from a distance.<\/p>\n
In Central Java, antigovernment protests occurred in Kudus,
\nSurakarta and Semarang. All proceeded without violence.<\/p>\n
In Kudus, about 150 activists of the Indonesian Islamic
\nStudents Association (PMII) staged a free-speech forum at the
\ntown's square.<\/p>\n
They shouted Allahuakbar, Allahuakbar (God is Great, God is
\nGreat) and called for the eradication of corruption, collusion
\nand nepotism.<\/p>\n
They tried to march to the nearby local council office, but
\nwere prevented by police. They later dispersed peacefully.<\/p>\n
In Semarang, dozens of students expressed their concern over
\nthe people's suffering through a public song performance at the
\ncity's Ciputra Mall.<\/p>\n
Money generated from the performance, according to Diponegoro
\nUniversity's student senate leader Tafrikhan Marzuki, will be
\ndonated to cover tuition expenses for students whose parents have
\nbeen laid off.<\/p>\n
In Surakarta, about 100 students from the Indonesian Moslem
\nStudents Association (HMI) also took to the streets to protest.<\/p>\n
They marched to the city square about one kilometer from their
\noffice, shouting "Long live students. Long live the people" and
\n"Lower prices".<\/p>\n
In East Java's capital of Surabaya, another peaceful student
\nrally was also reported.<\/p>\n
About 500 students gathered near the entrance gate of the
\nSunan Ampel Islamic Institute campus, calling for the speaker of
\nthe People's Consultative Assembly, Harmoko, to convene an
\nextraordinary session to ask for President Soeharto's
\naccountability in bringing the country into the crisis.<\/p>\n
In Yogyakarta, thousands of students from at least 25 nearby
\nuniversities staged a joint free-speech forum at the campus of
\nIKIP Karangmalang.<\/p>\n
The university's deputy rector in charge of student affairs,
\nShodiq A. Kuntoro, attended the protest, lending his support to
\nthe on-campus protest.<\/p>\n
The demonstration also proceeded without violence.
\n(21\/23\/44\/30\/nur\/har\/aan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/violence-in-medan-exception-to-calm-student-protests-1447893297",
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