Activists condemn harsh measures against students
JAKARTA (JP): Human rights activists have condemned the government's harsh measures against widespread student demonstrations, which have increasingly resulted in bloody clashes.
The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) told a media conference here yesterday that the security apparatus' repressive measures reflected an attitude that would not lead to an improvement of the situation.
"Repressive measures are useless and will only worsen the situation," the commission's executive, Munir, said reading a two-page statement.
The statement said the harsh measures would also tarnish the Armed Forces' (ABRI) image before the watchful eye of the international community.
Kontras urged ABRI to refrain from resorting to violent measures in dealing with the student protests.
"The Armed Forces should change their attitude toward the student protests," said Mulyana W. Kusumah, a member of Kontras' advisory council.
Kontras claimed yesterday that hundreds of students had been injured from protests which have been occurring throughout the country on an almost daily basis since February.
Kontras said that during an investigation in Ujungpandang in South Sulawesi, Malang in East Java and Surakarta in Central Java, it found that security forces sometimes used live bullets.
The Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI) said in a statement Wednesday that the security forces' harsh measures against the student rallies had violated human rights.
"Coercive measures are shortcut ways to obstruct the freedom of expression," the two-page statement signed by PBHI's executive director, Hendardi, said.
Earlier yesterday, students from Jayabaya University came to the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute office to confirm reports of the shooting of three students during a clash Thursday with security forces in front of their campus in Cimanggis, West Java.
Student representative Nurohmat said the three were shot by rubber bullets and rushed to nearby Tugu Ibu Hospital.
The students, accompanied by assistant dean Ahmad Dahlan, brought dozens of rubber bullet shells, a bloodied shirt and scraps of tear gas canisters.
"We will file a complaint to Armed Forces Chief Gen. Wiranto and the National Military Police," Nurohmat said.
At least 18 other students were also injured during the clash, Jakarta Legal Aid Institute spokesman Hotma Tibul Hutapea said.
Meanwhile, Benny Rhamdani from Sam Ratulangi University in Manado was in critical condition yesterday as he entered the fifth day of his hunger strike at the local office of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute.
He, however, refused to be taken to the hospital for treatment, Munir said.
Benny and Wahab Talaohu of Jakarta University began hunger strikes Monday to protest the decision by the administration of Sam Ratulangi University to ban student demonstrations on campus. (byg)