700 students try to return to the House
JAKARTA (JP): The number of student protesters taking to the city's streets on Friday was slightly lower than on previous days, but tension heightened in the early evening with a new rally.
A group of about 700 university students grouped in City Forum (Forkot) marched along the toll road from Cawang in East Jakarta headed to the People's Consultative Assembly/House of Representatives (MPR/DPR) building on Jl. Gatot Subroto, Central Jakarta.
There was brief drama when the group apprehended a man they believed was trying to provoke security personnel by pushing against the cordon.
As of late evening, no clashes were reported but the students -- who had reached the toll road in front of the Jakarta Police headquarters, about 1.5 kilometers from their target -- caused heavy traffic congestion around the busy Semanggi cloverleaf.
Their number dropped gradually as night fell.
Earlier in the day at Suropati Park, several hundred meters from former president Soeharto's residence in Central Jakarta, about 70 members of Alarm joined an anti-Soeharto silent protest. The people, including high school and university students and farmers, bound their mouths with black cloth.
"We want to show that high school students also fight for the new democratic Indonesia," said technical high school student Agus Zaelani as he waved the national flag.
"We're not just bullies and only involved in street brawls."
Participants marched with their right arms up in a salute.
"We staged this silent action to express our protest at the rulers, who seem to be deaf and blind to people's aspirations," Taswin Total of Alarm said.
Marching from the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation office on Jl. Diponegoro, the protesters also demanded an end to the Armed Forces' dual function.
The marchers dispersed peacefully at 4:15 p.m.
At the Semanggi protest, Adian, a Forkot leader, said they were striving to reach the legislative complex to voice their wish for the establishment of a presidium -- dubbed the Indonesian People's Committee -- to replace President B.J. Habibie's administration.
Asked to comment on the protest, the head of the Jakarta Police's On-the-Alert Unit, Col. Arthur Damanik, expressed exasperation.
"What are they going to do in the legislature? There's no special session. Why don't they give us a break. Aren't they tired at all?
"I just thought that I would have a little rest this afternoon... I do not understand them at all."
On Friday, security officials canceled a planned withdrawal of troops deployed at the MPR/DPR building due to the latest developments in the capital.
The decision was announced by National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Togar M. Sianipar and Jakarta Military spokesman Lt. Col. DJ. Nachrowi. (edt/bsr/ivy)