JP/5/IAIN

JP/5/IAIN

Police take over IAIN rector's office

Slamet Susanto
Yogyakarta

Police officers took over on Tuesday the rector's office of the
Sunan Kalijaga State Institute for Islamic Studies (IAIN Sunan
Kalijaga), which had been occupied by IAIN students for eight
days.

The office was taken over by the police a day after a clash
between students and security guards in the office that left 12
students and three guards injured.

Students occupied the office to protest a decision by the IAIN
authorities to impose what they called an "education support
fee". The fee is on top of the regular tuition paid by students.

There was no violence on Tuesday as officers moved into the
office at the request of IAIN rector Amin Abdullah.

About 125 officers began moving into the office at 7:30 a.m.
The office had already been deserted by the students.

The building was a mess after the eight-day occupation by
students. Almost all of the windows in the three-story building
were broken in Monday's clash between students and security
guards. The walls were covered with graffiti, mostly criticizing
the rector for imposing the new fee on students.

IAIN employees began cleaning up the building on Tuesday,
under the protection of the officers.

Sleman Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Sigit Darusman confirmed
that the police had moved into the office at the request of the
rector.

"The rector told me that the student protest had become
anarchic and had to be stopped," he said.

He said police officers would guard the office as long as
necessary.

Sigit said the police were also investigating whether the
students had broken the law by occupying the office.

Several students told reporters outside the building that as
soon as the police moved out they would reoccupy the office. They
promised to continue their protests until the new fee was
rescinded.