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.