28 students injured in brawl

JAKARTA (JP): At least 28 university students were injured during a clash on Jl. Diponegoro, Central Jakarta on Friday, but all were released after hospital treatment.

The brawl, involving more than 500 students of the Bung Karno University (UBK) and the Indonesian Christian University (UKI), occurred right in front of the Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital (RSCM), located between the two campuses.

Witnesses said the clash started after Friday prayers, about 2 p.m., when several students attacked each other.

The small fracas escalated to the point where hundreds were throwing stones and occasional Molotov cocktails. Police said the two groups agreed to negotiate and no one was detained. The clash stopped about 5:30 p.m.

Most of the injured sustained light injuries from stones or sticks.

Thirteen were taken to RSCM's emergency ward and the rest were treated at the nearby St. Carolus Hospital.

Dozens of officers from Senen and Menteng Police sub-precincts were deployed to block the street.

The intersection of Jl. Salemba Raya and Jl. Diponegoro was closely guarded. The thoroughfare leads to the hospital and other public facilities in the area.

Students exchanged accusations as to who started the brawl.

An UBK student, Jonathan, said the incident followed another from late Thursday night in front of the UBK campus.

Both UKI and UBK students had joined a rally on Thursday that ended in a clash with police at the residence of former president Soeharto in Central Jakarta.

Jonathan and other students cited possible reasons for Friday's fighting, ranging from a problem involving a woman student to charges that UBK students were "pro Soeharto."

Three students were injured Thursday night, Jonathan said, and a fresh fight followed the next day with locals joining in the stone throwing. He said there were students from other schools in the brawl.

Jonathan accused "provocateurs" of manipulating minor frictions among students, particularly freshmen, who joined in the rally. (07)