Is there any end to student demos?

Despite President Soeharto giving the green light for initial reforms, demonstrations continue unabated at universities across the country. Political science professor Ryaas Rasyid of the state National Institute of Administration discusses why the students have refused to return to class.

Question: Why do students seem to disregard President Soeharto's indication of support for political reform?

Ryaas: The President's offer is too general without discussing the details. The indication, which invited various parties, including students, to make suggestions on reform, will also need too long a time before the reform itself is formulated.

On the other hand, the demonstrating students want quick action. Furthermore, their demands have expanded too far as the government failed to respond early during the first months of their demonstrations. Initially, they demanded political, economic and legal reforms but, based on my discussions with them, their demands currently include national leadership succession and the convening of an extraordinary session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

Q: Why do the students want a leadership change? Do they have candidates to lead the country?

R: I don't know whether they have candidates. But they believe that any reform can be implemented only after leadership succession takes place, like in South Korea, and that based on history, no regime which has created a crisis can help a nation out of it.

Q: Lecturers and university administrators are now taking part in the student demonstrations. Do they work out the formulation of the reform together?

R: No. University leaders and lecturers join the students with an aim to prevent them from being used by other parties for particular political goals and from getting involved in violence. They do not want the students to become radical and violent. In the event of that, their efforts would be futile.

There is no discussion on the formulation of reform because the students are always suspicious of dialogs. I once told them that they lacked the spirit of democracy if they did not want to have dialog.

Q: But why have the demonstrations become more violent lately?

R: This is especially true in North Sumatra. It stems from the relatively more violent local culture combined with the ineffective conduct of the local security officers.

Q: Why are they not satisfied with the economic reforms formulated by the government and the International Monetary Fund?

R: It's not clear. What they say is merely rhetorical. They never discuss details. They consider discussing the details as something beyond their responsibility. That is why it is difficult to measure their satisfaction.

Q: How do the students respond to the legal reform initiated by Minister of Justice Muladi?

R: Positively. But, frankly speaking, their demands for economic and legal reforms are just rhetorical -- to justify their collective movement expressing their disappointment. What they want is only a political change focused on the change of the national leadership. I myself don't understand what has made them so obsessed with national leadership change and I don't know their political interest.

Q: Is there a possible compromise that can be reached by the government and the students?

R: No way can a formal compromise be reached because there are too many interests involved in the proposed reform. Even the students themselves cannot compromise on their own ideas.

Q: So you don't foresee an end to demonstrations?

R: There are only two ways to end their demonstrations.

One is by crushing demonstrating students through military force, and all the students would be scared. But such an inhumane, unpopular response is impossible to be carried out in this era of transparency.

Two is for the government to offer a sound agenda of reform with clear timetables. The government, together with the House of Representatives (DPR), should assure all the citizens that they will seriously formulate political, economic and legal reforms to satisfy the interests of all the people. They should no longer wait for the people to air their ideas, but they must take the initiative by offering sound and applicable concepts.

Both the government and the DPR must have a sense of emergency, so that they can produce necessary laws in a short period of time.

They should, for example, prepare laws empowering the DPR, describing the authorities of the president, guaranteeing the equality of power among political parties, offering freedom of speech and prescribing the ethics of governance.

The DPR, under reformed rules of the game, should be able to accomplish all its rights, such as the rights to take initiatives and make inquiries. People must be free to express ideas provided that they are not telling lies, slandering, manipulating facts or encouraging rebellion.

A law on ethics of government is important to prevent corrupt, collusive and nepotistic practices.

Q: Do you think the demonstrations will escalate if neither of the two is accomplished?

R: Yes. The other section of the society, motivated by the steep rises in fuel prices and electricity billing rates, might also join students in their demonstrations in the coming days. I have heard (students) efforts to solicit support from labor. It is, therefore, very urgent for the government to take action which accommodates people's aspirations. (riz)