Clash over book scandal

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi: A skirmish erupted between student demonstrators and members of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Banser civilian guards at the Makassar Islamic University compound on Saturday.

The incident took place during a local launching of a book titled Menegakkan Kebenaran (Uphold the Truth) published by the National Awakening Party (PKB) to establish President Abdurrahman Wahid's innocence in the Bulog and Brunei scandals.

The book launching was held at the Nahdlatul Ulama hall in the university compound about 11 a.m. local time.

About 50 students, grouped in the Front Mahasiswa Pondokan Tamalanrea protested the event, describing the book as "a tool to cover up Gus Dur's mistakes" and urged the President to resign.

About two hours later some 100 Banser members entered the campus on Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan and pushed away the protesting students.

The students fled the scene but came back shortly after in larger numbers, making a clash inevitable.

Riot police, however, quickly dispersed the two warring camps by firing warning shots into the air.

Two students, Anwar and Alam, were injured in the fray and later detained by police along with two others named Sahid and Wahyudin.

The book launching and discussion had to be briefly suspended but was continued later in the afternoon.

Abdurrachim Assegaf, PKB chairman in Makassar, brushed off the incident, saying minor clashes are "considered normal due to the fact that the two groups are emotionally involved and they are in the process of learning democracy." (27/edt)