Intellectuals support students demand

Intellectuals support students demand

JAKARTA (JP): Intellectuals are calling on students to
continue with their struggle for political and economic reforms,
lending greater weight to a youth movement that has grown into a
formidable force over recent months.

Selo Soemardjan, a professor of sociology at the University of
Indonesia (UI), and political observer Arbi Sanit encouraged 500
students attending a discussion on Saturday at the UI campus in
Depok, West Java, to continue giving voice to people's
aspirations.

"I tremble at your use of the word 'struggle', but continue,
continue your struggle. I was once young, I understand your
aspirations," Selo told the students. All students present
rejected the parallel, much-publicized government-sponsored
dialog involving 16 cabinet ministers, military leaders and 50
student representatives which was held at Jakarta Fair Ground in
Kemayoran, Central Jakarta on Saturday.

A mere 30 kilometers from Depok, 3,000 students and lecturers
from various universities assembled for a discussion at the Bogor
Institute of Agriculture (IPB). Students said they all had a
common vision and shared the same goal, namely bringing about
change.

Colleges represented at the Bogor meeting included University
of Indonesia, Yogyakarta's Gadjah Mada University (UGM),
Surabaya's Airlangga University, Brawijaya University in Malang,
East Java, the Bandung Institute of Technology, Jakarta Teacher
Training Institute and the private Ibnu Chaldun University in
Bogor.

Student bodies from these colleges have rejected the Kemayoran
dialog, which was held to also discuss economic and political
reform and ways of fighting corruption, collusion and nepotism.

At the Depok meeting, Selo warned the government that students
could no longer tolerate the deterioration in national political
ethics. He said "the situation had forced them to take action
since the House of Representatives had shown itself to be
incapable of fulfilling its duty and acting as the mechanism for
controlling the government."

The professor blamed the legislative body's ineptitude on the
concentration of power in the hands of a few members of the
country's political executive branch.

Trend

Arbi said the trend to use particular causes and gesture
politics to further interests was one of the main ways in which
the country's political ethics had deteriorated.

"It's natural that people use one another," he said. "But the
practice of taking political advantage of other people is unfair.
The parties used gain nothing."

Arbi cited reports on the distribution of coupons for free
meals at food stalls. "What does a few free meals mean for a
person who has lost his job?"

Despite its trivial nature, he argued the government gained a
lot from the gesture and boosted its image as a caring and
considerate administration.

Other indications of the erosion of political ethics, he said,
included the increase of political violence and of people "lying
without feeling remorse, and even with a feeling that one is
right."

The Bogor meeting was opened by Pallawarukka, an assistant to
IPB rector Soleh Solahuddin, who underlined in his written speech
the importance of the meeting. The rector also said such a
meeting was needed in order to help design the agenda for
political and economic reforms.

"With discussions, students will come to understand the
problems facing the nation and will strive to seek solutions to
them," he told the unprecedented gathering of university student
activists, academics and administrators.

"As of now, we students are no longer seeking to unify our
views, because we already share the same vision, namely change,"
said Cahyo Pamungkas, a student leader from Gadjah Mada
University.

"To keep silent means treason, and silence means (we will
continue to be) oppressed," Cahyo said, adding that students
sought a "peaceful revolution."

Meanwhile, the Association of Alumni of University of
Indonesia (ILUNI-UI) issued a statement here yesterday hailing
the recent call by the Nadhlatul Ulama (NU) Moslem organization
for the Armed Forces (ABRI) to protect students and join their
movement for reform.

The association said ABRI should stand by those fighting for
reforms, democracy, good governance, and against collusion,
corruption and nepotism.

"The association reminds ABRI that they are part of the
people, not the tool of those who hold power," the alumni said.
"With this in mind, it is hoped that violence directed at
students and academics staging demonstrations will end."

The association also criticized the Kemayoran dialog, which
was organized by the Armed Forces Headquarters, because among the
recommendations it issued was another warning against students
holding protests, even peaceful ones. (rms/anr)