'Dangdut' music dismays student protesters

'Dangdut' music dismays student protesters

Asip A. Hasani, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

Soldiers in Yogyakarta came up with an novel
way of responding to a student demonstration on Friday by
blasting out popular local dangdut music and dancing in front of
scores of students protesting outside the Yogyakarta Regional
Military (Korem) headquarters.

Unlike the expected military response, the musical response
apparently caused some disappointment among the students and they
soon dispersed peacefully.

Friday marked the 56th anniversary of the Indonesian Military.

The story began when the students, who were demanding the
abolition of the military role in politics, found the main gate
of the headquarters locked.

They started making their speeches in very vigorous style,
with their shouts getting louder and louder. Suddenly, the sound
of dangdut music was heard, and started getting louder and louder
also.

Seconds later scores of soldiers started to dance in front of
the students.

The show lasted only about fifteen minutes until the
protesters left.

"This is harassment of students and democracy!" one of the
protesters, Zainu Rosyid, said. "This also shows how arrogant
they (the soldiers) are."

The demonstration was organized by a faction of the
Association of Muslim Students (HMI) from Sunan Kalijaga State
Institute of Islamic Studies (IAIN).

There was no explanation forthcoming from the military as to
why they welcomed the student protesters they did.

The students were also demanding that the Indonesian Military
(TNI) improve the effectiveness of military tribunals in
punishing errant military personnel implicated in crimes.

"Everybody knows that there are many members of the army and
police who provide protection for illegal businesses," Satria,
another student, said. "They must be punished."

In their statement, the protesters urged that the trials of
military personnel who were involved in human rights violations
be continued.

The official commemoration ceremony for the TNI anniversary in
Yogyakarta was held at the city's Alun-Alun Utara (northern
square).