Demontrations spread in several big cities

Demontrations spread in several big cities

JAKARTA (JP): Students continued on Tuesday with their
demonstrations demanding that former president Soeharto be tried,
and that recent riots be investigated thoroughly.

Hundreds of students from the University of Indonesia held a
peaceful rally at the intersection near the National Monument
(Monas) calling President B.J. Habibie and Armed Forces Commander
Gen. Wiranto to a dialog with them. However, they demanded that
Wiranto resign over the alleged failure of his men in their task
of maintaining security in the capital.

They also demanded a fair and free general election, and an
end to the military representation in the lower House of
Representatives.

They further warned against the politicization of religions
leading to the disintegration of the nation. Marching from the
Hotel Indonesia roundabout to Monas, the students were prevented
by a security personnel barricade and police line from advancing.

The students, who had notified the police about their plan to
demonstrate as required by the newly established law on freedom
of expression, dispersed peacefully afterwards.

Meanwhile, two other groups of students from Trisakti
University and the Communication Forum of Jakarta Student Senates
(FKSMJ) forced their way into the Attorney General's Office to
demand that Soeharto be tried for past wrongdoings.

They also urged Habibie and Wiranto to take responsibility for
the bloodshed in the Semanggi Cloverleaf when security personnel
opened fire on student protesters, 16 of whom have died so far.

"The power holder is trying to divert attention from the main
issue of responsibility for the tragedy by creating others,
including allegations of treason... We will push Ghalib to keep
his own word to investigate Soeharto thoroughly," Ridwan of FKSMJ
said. The students insisted to camp out at the office, but were
flushed out by security late Tuesday. Several students were
injured.

Some 20 representatives of the students were received by
Attorney General Andi Muhammad Ghalib but they ended their talks
by presenting the official with a chicken to represent his
"cowardly manner."

Hundreds of students grouped in the City Forum (Forkot)
marched from Cawang in East Jakarta to the Pancoran intersection
in South Jakarta where they were blocked by security personnel in
their attempt to reach the House of Representatives building on
Jl. Gatot Subroto in South Jakarta.

Meanwhile, students from the Jakarta Arts Institute
demonstrated at the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout to seek government
account for unrest on Sunday when a number of churches were
burned and 14 people were killed.

In Semarang, Central Java, around 100 students rallied in
front of the Diponegoro Military Command Headquarters, also
demanding that Wiranto take responsibility for the Semanggi
tragedy. They also demanded the phasing-out of the military's
political role by terminating its presence at the House of
Representatives.

In Denpasar, Bali, hundreds of women grouped in the Indonesian
Women's Alliance, protested the repressive approach of the
security personnel in handling student movements. They blasted
the military for the shooting at the Semanggi Cloverleaf.

The women, who had notified the police beforehand, staged
their demonstration at the Badung Puputan Square, Antara
reported.

In Padang, West Sumatra, more than 200 students from the
People's Mandate Forum also demanded the phasing-out of the Armed
Forces' dual function which had "retarded democracy."

The demonstrators also condemned repression by the security
personnel of the student movement. They also criticized fellow
students who, during one demonstration last week, held Minister
of Agriculture Soleh Solahuddin hostage at the Tabing Airport in
Padang. The minister was forced to meet the student protesters
for hours. He was afterwards rudely dismissed and told to leave
the city immediately.

On Monday, rectors of 10 universities in the province gathered
in Padang and declared their support for the student movement.
However, they also blasted the students for their ill-treatment
of Soleh. (rms/edt/har/25)