'Bloody April' incident commemorated
'Bloody April' incident commemorated
UJUNGPANDANG, South Sulawesi (JP): Thousands of students took
to the streets here yesterday to commemorate a demonstration last
year that left three students dead and 60 injured.
About 5,000 students from Hasanudin University (Unhas) and the
Indonesian Moslem University (UMI) walked peacefully from the UMI
campus to Panaikang cemetery where one of the students is buried.
They scattered flowers on the ground and said prayers in
memory of fellow students who died in what they call the "bloody
April" incident.
Carrying banners, they proceeded to Dadi cemetery where
another student is buried.
The six kilometer procession took place without incident.
In Jakarta, 50 students calling themselves "Makasar's Bloody
April Committee" displayed banners in front of the Kalibata
Heroes Cemetery in South Jakarta, watched in heavy rain by some
50 security officers equipped with shields and rattan sticks.
Some of the banners said "Stop the violence", "Stop 'bang bang
bang' on campus", and "We don't need bullets".
The students later released a statement demanding an end to
military intervention in civil and academic affairs, and the end
to a widespread security approach in the country.
Three students died in the demonstration on April 24 last
year. They were said to have drowned in the Pampang River, next
to the campus, trying to evade security officers. They were
Syaiful Bia, Andi Sultan Iskandar, and Tasrif Burhanuddin, all
students of the UMI.
The students were part of a two-day demonstration against a
planned increase in public transportation fares. The protest
turned into riots when security officers entered the campus, used
tear gas and chased students with rattan sticks.
The military later claimed they were restoring order after the
students went on a rampage.
An investigation by the National Commission on Human Rights
found evidence of military violence in the form of blood stains,
spent bullets and damaged buildings. There were also reports of
bruises on the bodies of the dead students.
An investigation team established by the Wirabuana regional
military command also found evidence of military error.
Fifteen security officers were later tried by the Ujungpandang
military tribunal, and nine sentenced to up to three months and
15 days imprisonment. Six were found not guilty of involvement.
The Ujungpandang commemoration started Wednesday with UMI
campus students burning tires, and Unhas campus students carrying
a bier around the campus.
Hundreds of State Islamic Institute students held a Koranic
recital. (05/37/31)
UJUNGPANDANG, South Sulawesi (JP): Thousands of students took
to the streets here yesterday to commemorate a demonstration last
year that left three students dead and 60 injured.
About 5,000 students from Hasanudin University (Unhas) and the
Indonesian Moslem University (UMI) walked peacefully from the UMI
campus to Panaikang cemetery where one of the students is buried.
They scattered flowers on the ground and said prayers in
memory of fellow students who died in what they call the "bloody
April" incident.
Carrying banners, they proceeded to Dadi cemetery where
another student is buried.
The six kilometer procession took place without incident.
In Jakarta, 50 students calling themselves "Makasar's Bloody
April Committee" displayed banners in front of the Kalibata
Heroes Cemetery in South Jakarta, watched in heavy rain by some
50 security officers equipped with shields and rattan sticks.
Some of the banners said "Stop the violence", "Stop 'bang bang
bang' on campus", and "We don't need bullets".
The students later released a statement demanding an end to
military intervention in civil and academic affairs, and the end
to a widespread security approach in the country.
Three students died in the demonstration on April 24 last
year. They were said to have drowned in the Pampang River, next
to the campus, trying to evade security officers. They were
Syaiful Bia, Andi Sultan Iskandar, and Tasrif Burhanuddin, all
students of the UMI.
The students were part of a two-day demonstration against a
planned increase in public transportation fares. The protest
turned into riots when security officers entered the campus, used
tear gas and chased students with rattan sticks.
The military later claimed they were restoring order after the
students went on a rampage.
An investigation by the National Commission on Human Rights
found evidence of military violence in the form of blood stains,
spent bullets and damaged buildings. There were also reports of
bruises on the bodies of the dead students.
An investigation team established by the Wirabuana regional
military command also found evidence of military error.
Fifteen security officers were later tried by the Ujungpandang
military tribunal, and nine sentenced to up to three months and
15 days imprisonment. Six were found not guilty of involvement.
The Ujungpandang commemoration started Wednesday with UMI
campus students burning tires, and Unhas campus students carrying
a bier around the campus.
Hundreds of State Islamic Institute students held a Koranic
recital. (05/37/31)