Cow dung tarnishes university ceremony

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Refusing the presence of President Megawati Soekarnoputri, students from the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) blocked the entrance gate in their Dermaga campus barring other high ranking government officials and dignitaries as well.

On Saturday, IPB was to host a ceremony to appoint Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Rokhmin Dahuri as a professor in Coastal and Marine Resources Management.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was among the dignitaries who was barred from attending the ceremony. He was forced to make U-turn and leave before reaching the campus compound. Megawati called off her visit yesterday, after fears of just such a demonstration were brought to her attention.

In addition to blocking the entrance, the students also hurled fresh cow dung at the VIP vehicles to express their disgust with the current administration, particularly in light of the utility price increases decreed on Jan 2.

Some invitees, however, managed to enter the campus and attended the ceremony which included a lecture by Rokhmin.

The invitees included Minister of Forestry Mohamad Prakosa, Gorontalo Governor Fadel Muhammad and West Java Police Chief Insp. Gen. Dadang Garnida as well as several foreign ambassadors.

Meanwhile, IPB's rector Ansori Mattjik said he would take stern measures and crack down on all students as a result of the cow dung hurling.

"They should have let the invitees enter the campus to listen to a scientific speech," he said as quoted by www.detik.com online news provider.