Demonstrations spread through the country

Demonstrations spread through the country

JAKARTA (JP): Students staged demonstrations in various parts
of the country on Saturday to condemn the repressive military
action seen on the streets of Jakarta on Friday and to demand the
resignation of Armed Forces Commander/Minister of Defense and
Security Gen. Wiranto.

They demanded the Armed Forces (ABRI) expulsion from the House
of Representatives and an end to the dual-function which grants
it a role in the nation's political affairs. They also demanded
the prosecution of former president Soeharto.

The students also rejected the results of the Special Session
of the People's Consultative Assembly, saying that decrees
adopted during the four-day meeting were designed to maintain the
status quo and were not representative of the people's
aspirations.

Around 5,000 students took over Polonia Airport in Medan on
Saturday morning to demand free passage to the capital to join
students protesters here.

Hundreds of students swarmed onto the runway, chanting "Hang
Soeharto, Hang Wiranto", Reuters reported.

They later left peacefully.

In Ujungpandang, about 1,000 students camped on the runway of
Hasanuddin airport and, like in Medan, demanded to be taken to
Jakarta to join their comrades. They finally left the airport
after negotiations with security authorities, who had earlier
used tear gas in an attempt to expel them forcefully, AFP
reported.

Hundreds of students in Bali also staged a peaceful protest at
Ngurah Rai international airport on Saturday, but their action
did not disturb air traffic to and from the popular tourist
destination.

At least 36 students and seven soldiers were injured in
Bengkulu in a clash at the provincial council office. The clash
erupted after soldiers tried to prevent around 600 students from
entering the grounds of the building to lower the forecourt flag
to half-mast. Tear gas was used and many students were beaten,
some in the presence of the deputy governor, the head of the
local police and other senior local government officials, Antara
reported.

Angry students then upended a minivan belonging to the
provincial council office.

In Padang, West Sumatra, thousands of Bung Hatta University
students clashed with troops in front of an army precinct. Six
students and a photographer from Singgalang daily newspaper were
injured.

Antara reported that students were on their way to Tabing
airport to collect the body of a student from West Sumatra killed
in Friday's incident at Semanggi in which 11 other people died.

Meanwhile, six leading figures in West Sumatra issued eight
demands which included a call for President B.J. Habibie and his
Cabinet to bring an end to the violence gripping the country and
to investigate the Semanggi incident.

Around 1,500 students in Malang, East Java, marched toward
Suropati Heroes Cemetery and demanded the resignation of Wiranto,
saying he had proved himself to be incapable of controlling his
own men. The students said he should be held responsible for the
beating and shooting of students, journalists and civilians.

In Surabaya, around one hundred students marched through the
city before gathering at the Grahardi building to express their
demands.

They urged residents of the city to fly flags at half-mast in
honor of those who died on Friday.

In Jember, also in East Java, around one hundred students from
Jember University attempted to take control of a local military
district office. When officers repulsed their assault, the
students knelt down and prayed on the road in front of the
office.

Protests were also staged by thousands of students in Ambon,
Maluku, who occupied a regimental headquarters to demand the
resignation of Wiranto and the prosecution of Soeharto.

In Palembang, South Sumatra, students from Sriwijaya
University condemned the military in a statement aired on the
state radio station RRI and the state television station TVRI.

In Semarang, Central Java, around 1,500 students staged a
demonstration in front of the provincial governor's office.

Another group of students calling themselves the Semarang
Youth Forum took control of the local RRI studio to air their
demands.

In Pekanbaru, Riau, about 100 students held a mass prayer and
then aired a statement condemning the Semanggi incident on state
radio.

At least 10,000 students from a number of universities in
Bandung, West Java, gathered at the provincial council building
to lay wreaths in remembrance of those killed at Semanggi. They
also joined the chorus of voices criticizing the repressive
measures taken by the military.

They said the protesting students were only trying to voice
people's aspirations after their attempts to set up a national
dialog had received a cool response from the government.

In Surakarta, Central Java, nearly 1,000 students staged a
similar protest.

In nearby Yogyakarta, thousands of students occupied an Army
precinct on Jl. Malioboro, four kilometers from Gadjah Mada
University where they had gathered earlier in the morning.

Students carried banners saying: "Wiranto and Habibie are
fascists, bring them to court" and "We are mourning the Semanggi
incident".

Another group of students staged a protest in front of the
Yogyakarta State Palace at the other end of Jl. Malioboro.

In Bogor, West Java, around 2,000 students took to the streets
to reject the results of the Special Session and to express grief
over their fallen comrades. (har/23/28/44/24/25/swa/yan/ste)