Actions to deter student brawls considered

Actions to deter student brawls considered

JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta chapter of the Agency for National
Stability and Security (Bakorstanas) has vowed to put a stop to
student brawls by regularly holding seminars.

Jakarta Military Command's chief of staff, Brig. Gen.
Yudhoyono, said yesterday that seminars or symposiums will be
held to find a concept which will deter students from brawling.

Yudhoyono said yesterday the concept should address all
causes of such brawls and solve the lingering problem.

"We plan to seek a comprehensive concept which can solve all
causes of the problem," Yudhoyono said.

He added the agency will cooperate with other related parties
such as the police, city administration and the education and
culture ministry as well as parents and students.

Yudhoyono said aspects which should be reviewed are school
structures, lack of facilities in schools, teaching methods which
enable students to spend most of their time outdoors, the
commitment of parents and society.

"We will hold seminars or symposiums to seek the concept and
intensify crackdowns on recalcitrant students who still brawl,"
he said.

Student brawls have flared up recently and given rise to deep
concern among the government and public alike as many high school
students have resorted to violence, resulting in at least three
students being killed in the past two weeks.

Yudhoyono said finding a concept that will lead to a solution
is important because police operations will not completely solve
the problem.

The problem will not be overcome by arresting brawling
students because it is not touching the root of the problem.

"The police operation is merely shock therapy for the
students," he said.

Yudhoyono said the military will back up the police operation
by holding a joint operation code-named Wijayakusuma.

The chief of staff also said the military command will
continue the plan to set up a Military Training Command aimed at
training students under strict military discipline.

"The idea will be continued but there are many things which
should be settled such as the place, the teachers and the
training period," he said.

However, the general did not say if the Military Command
intended to continue a plan drawn up by his predecessor to build
military posts near schools.

Maj.Gen. Wiranto, the previous commander, had security posts
built near schools located in areas prone to brawls. The policy
was only briefly implemented. Now the posts have been left vacant
with no security officers in them. The officers usually left the
posts when brawls took place.

Yudhoyono also said that up until now, Bakorstanas has not
found evidence that third parties are behind student brawls for
personal interests.

When asked about the result of a study which indicated that
some students are paid by businesspeople to make trouble,
Yudhoyono said that his agency will investigate it. (yns)