Again, student brawls

Student fighting has once again broken out. It was reported that on Tuesday fighting broke out among hundreds of students from the Bogor Agricultural University (IPB). Six students were reported injured and a number of lecture rooms and cars parked nearby were damaged.

Studies are reported to have resumed on Thursday. Nevertheless, we are still incredulous that IPB, which stands out for its scientific achievements, has suddenly come into the news in such a different light. Students of different faculties became embroiled in the fighting because of an argument over a basketball game -- an absurd reason.

We are sure that as soon as the dust has settled at IPB and the students have gone back to their studies, they will all feel shocked at what has occurred. We are also certain that although hundreds of students were reportedly involved, this actually represented only a small section of IPB students.

What we don't know is whether this means that the tendency towards violence that exists in our society at present has made its way into our university campuses. Campuses, after all, are not immune to conditions, good or bad, that prevail in the surrounding environments. Nevertheless, considering their elevated position, it is reasonable to expect campuses to effectively deflect negative influences.

Instead of settling differences through violence, a tradition of dialog and reasoning should prevail, as student activists are themselves only too fond of telling the authorities.

-- Suara Karya, Jakarta