'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)