IAIN students oppose intervention

IAIN students oppose intervention

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Some 70 students from Yogyakarta's Sunan
Kalijaga State Academy of Islamic Studies (IAIN) staged a protest
here on Tuesday, refusing any form of government intervention in
the ongoing election of IAIN's rector.

Calling themselves members of the Light of Enlightenment Party
(Partai Sinchan), the students claimed that the Ministry of
Religious Affairs had been intervening in the elections of
rectors of several IAINs across the country.

As an example of intervention, Partai Sinchan coordinator
Zulkifli cited the elections of IAIN rectors in Medan, North
Sumatra and Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan.

"Muhammadiyah cadres were elected rectors in Medan and
Banjarmasin, but the ministry, which is currently dominated by
Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) cadres, installed other figures from the NU
for the posts," said Zulkifli.

Amin Abdullah, a member of Muhammadiyah's central board, has
reportedly received the most votes to lead IAIN's Yogyakarta
campus.

The protesters, mostly activists of the IAIN's Muhammadiyah
Students Association (IMM), said they would reject any figures
appointed by the government to replace those already elected.

"We must fight any efforts to eliminate democracy on this
campus," said Zulkifli.(23)