Foreigners deported for rallying
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Four foreigners were deported to their home countries on Thursday for committing what immigration officials called "a dangerous activity" by participating in a rally to protest the Indonesian government's decision to launch a military operation in Aceh.
They were: Australians Nicholas James Everest, 32, and Kylie Irene Moon, 25, South African Lydia Leone Cairn-Cross, 27, and South Korean Choi Yung Chan, 32.
"The Australians and the South Korean were deported today through Singapore, while the South African was sent home through Dubai," said Ade E. Dachlan, the spokesman for the Directorate General of Immigration.
Police arrested the foreigners on Wednesday at about 6 p.m. after they took part in a rally in front of the presidential palace on Jl. Medan Merdeka Utara, Central Jakarta.
"They took part in a dangerous activity or one that could endanger public safety and order," Ade quoted the Director General of Immigration Mohammad Indra as saying.
Officials said they had violated their visas by taking part in political activities here. The Australians and South Korean came as tourists and had obtained a short visit visa that was effective for 60 days, while the South African was on a visa to visit social organizations here, the official said.
After they were held overnight at police headquarters, the police sent them before noon on Thursday to the immigration office. They were quarantined before they were deported later in the day.
"Foreigners must abide by the law in this country. What was their business that they had to take part in the rally to protest the Indonesian government's policy on Aceh?" said city police spokesman Sr. Comr. Prasetyo.
In other developments, police arrested eight student protesters involved in Wednesday's clash with police at the House of Representatives/People's Consultative Assembly (DPR/MPR) compound in South Jakarta.
"We are questioning them as suspects," said Prasetyo.
He said the students could be charged under Article 170 in the Criminal Code for perpetrating a violent action, and Article 187 for causing an explosion. If convicted, the students could spend a maximum of seven years and 12 years respectively in prison.
They had joined thousands of student representatives from a number of universities across the country who staged a rally to demand incumbent President Megawati Soekarnoputri and Vice President Hamzah Has to resign for incompetence.
The rally was held to coincide with the fifth anniversary of reformation in 1998, which led to the downfall of former president Soeharto.
Prasetyo said the students were being detained for refusing to disperse and committing a violent action, including damaging public facilities.
The protesters burned banners and flags of political parties on the toll road near the DPR compound. They also burned the fiberglass fence on the road and closed down the toll road gate.
In a clash with students, a police officer suffered minor injuries from a Molotov cocktail thrown by one protester.
Police seized two loudspeakers, two Molotov cocktails, 16 bamboo sticks, five flags, 12 stones, a Kijang van and a public minibus from the protesters.
Police arrested Bimbi Tuanakotta from Bung Karno University for allegedly throwing a molotov cocktail and burning the United Development Party (PPP) flags.
Police also arrested Alib Bara from the University of Indonesia (UI), Naviar Saleh from the Islamic University of Lampung, Muhamad Dawan from the Sunan Gunung Jati Islamic University of Bandung, Andi Supriadi from the University of Surya Kencana, Cianjur, West Java, Asbid Mujahid from the University of Jakarta, Agus Mulani from UI and Nandang Wira Kusuma from Tirtayasa University of Cilegon, Banten.