City military open to dialog with students: Wiranto
City military open to dialog with students: Wiranto
JAKARTA (JP): City Military chief Maj. Gen. Wiranto encouraged
college and university students yesterday to continue holding
talks with military and government officials to enable them to
properly channel their aspirations and demands.
"The City Military Command is open to any talks with students
and I'm ready to accompany them to meet the related officials for
such dialog," Wiranto said in his lecture on the role of colleges
and universities in promoting the national-discipline campaign at
the National University in Pejaten, South Jakarta.
He told students that he was unhappy to see his personnel
physically clash with students and activists in a demonstration.
The City Military Command plans to set up a permanent forum
for students to channel and convey their interests and
aspirations, he said. "So instead of staging street
demonstrations, the students can raise their proposals and convey
their demands and aspirations through the forum."
In many cases university students stage demonstrations to
protest what they consider improper government policies.
Democratization, openness and human rights top their list of
grievances.
Wiranto acknowledged that the issues were global, but he
pointed out that "such trends do not exactly suit Indonesian
culture".
He also urged the university to forge harmonious relationships
with officials and the public. "With such mutual cooperation, the
university can become a center of gravity instrumental in keeping
the existence of the nation and preserving unity among the
people."
The general also urged university students to become pioneers
for the implementation of national discipline.
"As good citizens and educated people you can become models
for other people and instill a high degree of discipline among
them. You (the students) should stand in the forefront of the
movement," Wiranto pointed out.
A university has a crucial role as well as moral obligation in
serving the interests of people as well as developing the
sciences, Wiranto said.
As centers of excellence, he said, universities are the most
responsible institutions for producing qualified human resources.
University students should outline a plan to make discipline
part of the public's life, Wiranto asserted.
The general has agreed to cooperate with the National
University to conduct scientific research on discipline.(29)