Makassar students detain six government employees

Makassar students detain six government employees

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi (JP): The conflict between the
Alauddin State Islamic Institute (IAIN) and the South Sulawesi
gubernatorial office continued on Wednesday with the detention of
six civil servants by the students.

The students pledged to hold the six civil servants hostage
until Governor HZ Palaguna arrived and openly apologized to the
students for the excessive force "initiated by the office
employees" on Monday.

The six 'detainees' are identified as Kahar, Ahmad Djufri,
Iwan, Buyung, Bakri and Slamet Riyadi.

"The governor must come here to apologize, or the students
will not release the six people and the four cars being held,"
Olleng, an IAIN student, told The Jakarta Post.

The aggressive actions of the students were arbitrarily
conducted by the IAIN students on Tuesday during a demonstration
by thousands of students from several universities protesting the
12 percent increase in fuel prices.

The students examined ID cards of passersby to learn if they
were civil servants.

South Sulawesi Police chief Brig. Gen. Pol. Sofyan Jacoeb
called on the students on Tuesday to stop the vandalism. "We
cannot condone any brutality. Eighteen students have been
detained for burning gubernatorial office cars and for other acts
of violence during the demonstrations. They are all students of
Makassar University and Universitas 45," said Sofjan.

The students finally released the six detainees at about 8
p.m. local time after the IAIN rector Abdul Muin Salim met with
Makassar City Police chief Sr. Supt. Aryanto Boedihardjo and
Governor Palaguna.

Soon after the meeting at Palaguna's office, the rector
assured the students that the governor would come on Thursday to
apologize. "If he (Palaguna) does not keep his word, I will step
down. I mean it."

Refusal

On Tuesday night, governor HZ Palaguna said that South
Sulawesi would not accept the fuel price hike policy.

"We herewith ask the central government to delay the decision.
Increased fuel prices always result in increased prices in other
goods, including staples," Palaguna said after a three-hour
meeting with concerned institutions in response to the students'
actions on Tuesday.

He said another official letter asking for a delay would be
sent to President Abdurrahman Wahid.

Also on Wednesday, in the West Sumatra capital of Padang, a
large group of students called Front Padang marched to the
provincial legislative council denouncing the fuel price hike
effective on Oct. 1.

Waving banners and posters, the protesters congregated at the
council building and held orations.

"Fuel price increases also means increases in prices of other
goods. This is burdensome to the people," Muhammad Mahfuz, the
students coordinator, told Antara.

In Semarang dozens of students from the state Diponegoro
University, Tujuh Belas Agustus 45 University and the
Soegiyopranoto Catholic University launched a peaceful rally
protesting the fuel price increase.

The students, calling themselves the Democratic Students
League (LMD) distributed leaflets calling for the people to go
against the government's 'notorious' wisdom.

"Fuel prices increased this month and in five months they will
increase again, and other commodities will become more expensive.
What will we eat then?" Ade Ruli, the students spokesman
lamented. (27/har/sur)