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