Military sticks to plan on dialog with students

Military sticks to plan on dialog with students

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Defense and Security/Armed Forces
(ABRI) Commander Gen. Wiranto said yesterday he would continue
with his plan to hold a dialog with students because the nation
needed their inputs to the development process.

The general said ABRI leaders, including commanders of
regional military commands and military regiments, had already
met with students and talked to them as equal partners.

"Through dialogs we can have a better understanding of our
respective positions and vision. This will create an
extraordinary strength if synergized," Wiranto said before
attending a monthly cabinet meeting on the economy at the Bina
Graha presidential office.

Wiranto invited students across the country to Jakarta last
month to exchange views with him on the current economic crisis
and possible solutions.

The students declined the offer and expressed suspicion over
what they claimed was ABRI's hidden agenda and unilaterally
arranged format for the dialog. They also said they would prefer
to talk directly with President Soeharto.

"The dialog has not been canceled or postponed. The dialog is
of national importance for mutual understanding," Wiranto said.

Separately, Minister of Justice Muladi praised students
yesterday for their brave criticism of the government. He said
the government needed fresh ideas on how to resolve the country's
economic crisis.

However, Muladi, who is also rector of the state-run
Diponegoro University in Semarang, warned students not to touch
on "unconstitutional issues," such as demands to replace the
President.

"If they demand political or economic reforms or the ending of
corruption and collusion, I think that is okay," Muladi said
before the cabinet meeting.

Muladi himself will hold a dialog with students on April 23 in
Jakarta. The dialog was organized by the Association of
Indonesian Moslem Students (HMI) and will be held at the Youth
Center in Kuningan, South Jakarta.

When asked whether security personnel were allowed to
intervene in on-campus demonstrations, Muladi replied: "If the
rector is no longer able to control the situation and student
safety and public security is endangered, security forces can
intervene".

At least five police officers and a dozen youths were wounded
when a 2,000 strong demonstration clashed violently with 500
security personnel in Yogyakarta last week.

Student leaders said police officers vandalized the student
hall after they chased protesters into the Gadjah Mada University
campus.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Gen.
(ret) Feisal Tanjung said students had involved themselves in
politics by raising the issue of reform.

"Student protests are a political maneuver because the
students are demanding political reform," Tanjung said before the
cabinet meeting.

Separately, Minister of Education and Culture Wiranto
Arismunandar reiterated his previous warning to students not to
touch political issues when demonstrating.

"Universities are scientific institutions designed to maintain
and develop science, technology and the arts," Wiranto was quoted
by Antara as saying.

Students have been continuing with on-campus demonstrations in
big cities, including Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Bandung in West Java,
Medan in North Sumatra, Ujungpandang in South Sulawesi, Lampung,
and Padang in West Sumatra. Protesters are demanding sweeping
economic and political reform and clean government.

Some of the demonstrations were marred by violence and
scuffles when students attempted to march onto the streets. (prb)