Celebrations of 1998 reform turn violent

Celebrations of 1998 reform turn violent

Zakki Hakim and Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Thousands of people across Indonesia took part in violent
demonstrations on Wednesday to demand heads of state resign as
the beginning of a drive to complete reforms that began with the
downfall of former authoritarian president Soeharto on May 21,
1998.

The protesters said the current regime had failed to lead the
country in the spirit of reform that had driven Soeharto from
power five years ago.

Violence marred the rallies in Jakarta, Pekanbaru in Riau,
Makassar in South Sulawesi, and Purwokerto in Central Java.

In Jakarta, at least four different groups held separate
rallies, including about 800 students and workers who had taken a
week to march from Bandung and other West Java cities.

Close to 1,500 demonstrators gathered outside the House of
Representatives compound in Central Jakarta to demand the current
regime be replaced with younger people not yet influenced by the
corrupt mentality of the New Order regime.

The protesters tried to repeat their past success of occupying
the House compound, but were repelled by police water cannons.
They were finally dispersed at 7:30 p.m.

Some threw stones and molotov cocktails at police, while other
demonstrators burned banners and the flags of political parties
draped over the toll road fence near the House compound.

At least one policeman suffered minor injuries after he was
hit in the groin by a bottle hurled by a protester. The police
mobile brigade and riot units arrested nine of the rally
organizers and confiscated a pickup truck loaded with sound
equipment.

The clash caused heavy traffic congestion in Jl. Gatot
Subroto and the toll road running parallel to it after the
demonstrators tried to evade the police by running across the
roads.