Gus Dur barred from visiting Gajah Mada campus
YOGYAKARTA (JP): After eulogizing about the long road to democracy which Indonesia must travel, President Abdurrahman Wahid found out later on Friday that not all roads are open to him after students blocked streets preventing his visit to the Gadjah Mada University (UGM) campus.
Not long after telling those who had attended Friday prayers that the current turmoil is part of the long road to democracy which must be traveled, Abdurrahman personally experienced the simmering political resentment against him in some corners of society.
Hundreds of students, calling themselves the Student Alliance Against the Politicization of the Campus, formed a human barricade on main roads leading to the Gadjah Mada University campus to prevent the President's scheduled visit.
The President was due to inaugurate a tree conservation movement.
Initially, police were seen at about 1.30 p.m. on Jl. Kaliurang trying to break up the blockade ahead of the President's arrival. The effort resulted in a shoving match which almost turned into an open clash.
A water cannon vehicle was also deployed to force open a route for the presidential entourage, but to no avail.
Eventually, upon hearing news of the commotion and after advice from police, the President decided to call off his visit.
Later, before heading back to Jakarta after his brief one-day visit to Yogyakarta, Abdurrahman said that he canceled the visit because he did not want the situation to worsen.
"I apologize for not going to Gadjah Mada. This is to avoid bloodshed," he told senior officials from the university who farewelled him at Adisutjipto airport.
"If violence occurred it just wouldn't be right," the President added.
The tree conservation inauguration was eventually held in the VIP lounge of the airport.
One of the coordinators of the student blockade said that they refused to allow Abdurrahman on campus out of fear of the eventual effects it would have on the political allegiance of students.
"His visit is merely a ploy to seek legitimacy and support from academics and students," Dani Irawan said.
"This is very dangerous and could bring about political fissures between students," he added.
Gadjah Mada University rector Ichlasul Amal told reporters after the President had departed that the students who came from 18 universities in the area had initially wanted to conduct a dialog with the President.
According to Ichlasul, an incident occurred in which 20 students were detained by security officers, which incited rage and led to the blockade.
Democracy
Earlier in the day following Friday prayers, Abdurrahman said that Indonesia is currently following a path which must be endured to achieve democracy.
He noted that democratization required a cultural transformation from a paternalistic to an independent society.
"Our society is still a paternalistic society which cannot take any initiative for itself ... Democracy will develop in a society that is independent," he said in the post prayer dialog at Taqwa Mosque in Wonokromo, Bantul regency.
Abdurrahman reminded that developing an independent society was very difficult.
"There are many false reports in the mass media about me. Actually I can file a lawsuit against these journalists or the media but I don't do that because I don't want to scare them. If they are scared, the independent society will not grow," he claimed.
Asked what possible impediments his government was facing in implementing total reform, Abdurrahman replied that he is faced with large and complex problems which were remnants of the New Order regime.
He stressed the need for moral bravery and wisdom to implement total reform. He further highlighted the presence of corruption cases.
"We must be patient," he said while citing a Javanese proverb which counsels that one can walk slowly as long as they reach their destination. (23/27/edt/44)