IAIN students on hunger strike

IAIN students on hunger strike

PEKANBARU, Riau: Around 700 students of the Sultan Syarief Qasim State Islamic Institute (IAIN Susqa) in Pekanbaru, Riau, refused to attend classes, and 13 of them went on hunger strike on Wednesday to protest against the college's policies.

The protesters, who are students of different schools in the institute, questioned the status of the institute's general affairs department and its diplomas, and demanded a financial audit of the parents association.

The strikers also urged the college senate to replace Amir Luthfi as rector for his alleged incompetence in running the institute.

They also demanded that the student field study program be terminated as they claimed it was uncompetitive.

In his response, the rector said he was ready to arrange an audit at his own expense and to accept the consequences if any irregularities were found.

Three of the 13 students on hunger strike -- Ismi (psychology student), Teguh (communications student) and Jurnalis (Islamic education student) -- are reported to be growing weaker. --Antara