A word of warning

Student demonstrations on campuses have caught the public's attention both domestically and abroad.

Many people in the country sympathize with students' feelings toward the high cost of living as, after all, most of us are in the same boat.

While admiring the young generation's ability to voice their ideals, there is also a concern that they may take their protests to the street.

Although students consider themselves cultivated, there remains concern that they may be influenced by others and the rallies may turn to chaos.

The following is a true story which I recently heard from a friend who was caught in the midst of a riot, which happened some years ago.

The riot occurred three months after this friend first came to work in Indonesia.

It was very unfortunate that on that particular night she had dinner at the Hilton Hotel. When she came out in her car from the hotel, the traffic on the road leading to Jl. Jendral Sudirman was immobilized by a huge crowd streaming out from a Senayan concert.

On the spur of the moment, a young person climbed on top of a car and started to jump from one car to another. The drivers' timidity and connivance encouraged the crowd to join in the fun and soon uncontrollable damage was wreaked on the cars.

In short, the crowd completely destroyed my friend's car. Her husband, who was hit when rocks came flying through the smashed windows, ended up with a broken rib and head injuries.

They made a difficult decision to abandon the car and flee the scene on foot.

My friend's husband wiped his own blood all over her face before stepping out of the car, and this might have been the factor that saved them from being harmed further.

Once they were in the open, hundreds of hands were on them and all their possessions were taken. My friend, trembling and helplessly surrounded by the mob, protected her head with both arms and was waiting for the verdict from a bunch of strangers. In the end, they were let go after one of the mob took pity and asked the others to spare them.

When they finally reached the nearest hospital, the emergency room was full of people with similar experiences and injuries. The doctor was too busy to even wait for the anesthetic to take effect before he started stitching up the wounds.

Riots are not news to many Indonesians these days. But its victims often feel indignant not only over the financial loss but also the unjust humiliation, not to mention those who pay with their lives.

One victim of a shop rampage recalled that when he watched decades of hard work and devotion turned to ashes by merciless raiders his despondence, over the satanic nature of human beings, was beyond repair.

If students bring their protests to the street, they must prepare themselves for the worst scenario that may happen. Outside influences, whether voluntarily, incited by others or organized by a third party, may join and attack members of the public and damage private property for their own purposes.

If this happens, the students will be blamed for the action and lose the respect and support of a sympathetic public.

CHEN HSUEH CHUANG

Jakarta