Cow dung tarnishes university ceremony

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.