Dozens of students, officers hurt in demo

JAKARTA (JP): Hundreds of protesting students from various universities in Bandung, West Java, tried to force their way into the building of state-owned Radio Republik Indonesia and became locked in a clash with security personnel, Antara reported on Thursday.

Dozens of students and security personnel were injured in a flurry of stones thrown by both sides in the incident. Cibenying Police chief Capt. Edy Sukiswa was among the wounded.

The news agency said Sukiswa sustained injuries to his hands and head when he and a number of other police personnel tried to block the students' entry into the building on Thursday morning.

Some of the victims of the clash were admitted to hospital, but most were discharged by Thursday evening.

The incident draw the attention of residents, and caused heavy congestion along the Jl. Diponegoro thoroughfare and around the Gedung Sate governor's office.

The students said they wanted to broadcast their statement of concern over the latest social and political developments in the country. They also demanded that security authorities solve several problems they believed endangered national unity, the news agency said.

The radio station refused the students' request and called the security personnel to guard the building.

Chief detective of Bandung Police Maj. Ronny Sompie said the clash and resultant injuries occurred because the students refused to move from the building.

"They adamantly demanded to take over RRI, while security personnel prevented them from entering for the sake of order and security. So a clash was inevitable," he said.

After the clash, the students dispersed.

During the peak of student demonstrations that finally forced former president Soeharto to step aside last May, students repeatedly tried to enter state-owned television and radio stations in order to air their demands or statements. In some cases, they succeeded because the station's staff allowed them to do so.

The act was repeated during the much-protested Special Session of the People's Consultative Assembly in November. (swe)