1,000 students go on strike in SE Sulawesi

KENDARI, North Sulawesi: More than one thousand students from various universities in Kendari and Baubau in Buton Regency, held a demonstration here on Wednesday, demanding that the North Sulawesi Police chief Brig. Gen. Indarto resign, following the torture of a student who was studying in the province.

"We demand that the police chief (Indarto) resign and accept moral responsibility for the incident," Syahrul Beddu, one of the students, said.

According to Syahrul, Erwin Usman, a student from Buton, is currently undergoing intensive medical treatment at Edi Sabara General Hospital in Kendari, due to serious injuries inflicted by dozens of police personnel who beat him up after he held a demonstration last Friday.

Previously, another student of Halu Uleo University here was also tortured by four police officers without any clear reason, Syahrul said, adding that the police had not investigated the shooting of two locals, one a fisherman, by police personnel in Ladongi subdistrict.

Indarto, who met demonstrators that held the rally at the legislative council compound, promised to take firm action against those who committed violence. He, nevertheless, refused to resign. --Antara