'Agents provocateurs at work among students'
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Education and Culture Juwono Sudarsono warned students on Sunday that certain groups working to pit them against the security apparatus sparked the bloody clashes on Friday and Saturday.
He urged the academic community to consolidate and abide by the law when staging a demonstration to ensure it proceeded in an orderly and safe manner.
"This consolidation is very important, bearing in mind that some demonstrations became heated after they were infiltrated," said Juwono. He said he was speaking in his capacity as a minister, a university staff lecturer and a parent of students.
Although not advocating an end to the demonstrations, Juwono appealed to students to gradually resume their academic activities.
The minister's appeal received a cool response from some of student activists, especially those vowing to continue the fight for reform.
In a declaration read on Sunday at the Atma Jaya Catholic University, three student groups -- Jakarta Front, Forbes and Famred -- asked all students and lecturers nationwide to stay away from their campuses for three days beginning on Monday.
They also exhorted people from all walks of life to join a three-day national strike as a form of nonviolent resistance against the brutality displayed by the security forces.
"As a form of national solidarity, please stay at home and stop any official work. But please be alert and do not easily believe in provocation," Edisyah from the Jakarta Front said.
The groups' representatives also requested that the public fly the national flag at half-staff as a sign of mourning for those killed in clashes on Nov. 12 and Nov. 13.
The nation is grieving from the horrific acts, the groups' said.
"We believe that starting from the day the military used their weapons to shoot unarmed people and students, the country is in deep grief," Edisyah said.
The students also derided the final results of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Special Session, saying they contravened national policies and were "filled with blood".
They repeated their demands for a fresh transitional government to replace President B.J. Habibie's administration.
"We demand a transitional government which should be led by people from political parties and other elements that have been proven to be real qualified professionals," he said.
As of Sunday afternoon, many students remained at the Atma Jaya campus as bouquets of flowers and free meal packages arrived at the site from those concerned about their struggle.
"We'll summon student coordinators (late Sunday) to arrange for a new plan," Wahab from Jakarta University said.
"And one thing is for sure, we're not giving up. They (the military) have had enough victims." (emb/emf)