Beating of students

Beating of students

From Merdeka

We wish to express our deep concern over the violent act
committed by the security apparatus against our fellow students
in Jakarta (March 4), making a number of students victims. This
arbitrary act by the security apparatus has only served to prove
to us that the Armed Forces (ABRI) still cannot assume the
position of a neutral party. It remains in the position it had
during the New Order era, namely serving the interests of the
powers-that-be instead of the people.

The acts of violence that ABRI has continually committed
against the Indonesian people have left a deep wound in their
hearts, a condition which will only worsen ABRI's image in their
eyes and make them distrustful of the military. Therefore, the
Armed Forces should seriously review its position to ensure that
it won't lose everything in the eyes of the Indonesian people as
a result of allowing itself to be a mere instrument of the
authorities.

The incident on March 3 will only make us, the Indonesian
students, strengthen our determination to continue struggling in
order to bring about total democracy-orientated reform in
Indonesia, which the Habibie regime has now betrayed.

Keep up the struggle! Establish a government in transition
which will organize the general election, scrap the socio-
political role of the military and take Soeharto and his cronies
to court.

DODI CH

Bandung