IAIN student protest turns ugly in Yogya, 15 injured

IAIN student protest turns ugly in Yogya, 15 injured

Slamet Susanto, Yogyakarta

Hundreds of students from Sunan Kalijaga State Institute for
Islamic Studies (IAIN Sunan Kalijaga) clashed on Monday with the
institute's security guards, leaving 12 students and three
security guards injured.

Four of the 12 students were beaten unconscious during the
clash, which happened following a student protest to demand the
abolition of what the institute termed "education support fees."

The protest began over a week ago, when the students occupied
the president's office and held a hunger strike.

The clash began when six security guards told dozens of
students occupying the office to leave temporarily, because the
office was to be cleaned.

The students agreed to leave the office temporarily, but as
they were walking out of the office, suddenly one student was
embroiled in a heated argument with a security guard. The
security guard accused the student, Munadi, of being the
provocateur in the protest. The argument deteriorated into the an
all-out brawl, after the guard hit Munadi.

The students fled the office en masse. Around 90 minutes
later, the students came back with around 500 classmates and
gathered at the front gate of the IAIN building.

They were clearly poised for a large demonstration, but as
they were trying to enter the compound, they were prevented by
six security guards wielding batons.

The students and the security guards shoved each other and a
second clash erupted.

The security guards were outnumbered, but they ended up
injuring 12 students. Three security guards suffered light
injures.

Despite the casualties, the students made their way to the
president's office inside and broke down the doors to get in.

The students spray painted the walls of the office, demanding
the authorities to revoke its decision to impose new education
fees.

Some 20 IAIN employees were evacuated by student leaders, on
fears that they could become targets of the angry group.

IAIN president Amin Abdullah said that he had reported the
case to the police. "This is total chaos," he said.

Regarding the students' demand, Amin said that their method of
protest was misguided. He said that it could only be revoked
through a senate meeting, the highest decision-making body at the
institute.