Military stops more students from 'trespassing in red zone'

Military stops more students from 'trespassing in red zone'

JAKARTA (JP): Inspired by the astounding maneuver of Trisakti
University students who breached the military cordon around
Merdeka Palace on the previous day, 2,500 students from two
different groups launched abortive attempts to follow suit.

Students from Gunadarma University and the Joint Forum
(Forbes) arrived in the vicinity of the palace from different
directions, but were immediately prevented from going any further
by bristling ranks of security personnel near the Bank Indonesia
building and Tani monument in Menteng.

Unlike on Wednesday, when 2,000 Trisakti University students
evaded security and staged a rally at the palace gates, the
security forces were well prepared on Thursday.

Armored vehicles and troops were on the alert at several
points in the city center, including outside Bank Indonesia, the
Hotel Indonesia (HI) roundabout and the National Monument park.

"We have to prepare for the worst," said a senior officer.

The group of 1,500 Gunadarma University students who traveled
from their Depok campus were first stopped at the HI roundabout
at 3:20 p.m., but were later allowed to advance as far as the
Bank Indonesia building.

A few hours earlier, 1,000 students from Forbes were stopped
by the security forces at the Tani monument.

Students later admitted that their failure was due to a late
start.

"We have transport problems. No buses were willing to take us.
Maybe they were afraid that we wouldn't pay them," Vanda Kusuma
from Gunadarma University said.

Warning

In a statement made available to The Jakarta Post last night,
Presidential Guard Unit Commander Maj. Gen. Suwandi warned
student protesters not to try to reach the palace.

"Although Wednesday's rally took place closer than the limit
tolerable under the law, we need to remind the people, especially
students, not to stage any further rallies around Merdeka Palace
and the State Palace or at other sites at which it is illegal,"
Suwandi said.

He continued: "We need to remind all parties that the security
apparatus will not hesitate to uphold the law in an effort to
guarantee the security of the Head of the Government in
accordance with the existing law."

Separately, Deputy City Police chief Brig. Gen. Sutanto said
the student rally near Merdeka Palace on Wednesday had not
violated any regulations.

The students even informed the security authorities in
advance, Sutanto told the media on Thursday afternoon after
inspecting security personnel standing guard in the National
Monument park and at the House of Representatives.

"We appreciate the students' effort," he said. "They remained
outside the distance stipulated in the new law on freedom of
expression."

Law No.9/1998 on freedom of expression forbids rallies and
demonstrations at sites vital to the national interest, including
Merdeka Palace.

At 1:30 p.m., two hours before the arrival of the Gunadarma
students, 100 protesters calling themselves the Action Force of
the Muhammadiyah Students Association gathered outside the BI
office to demand the central bank give a public account of the
disbursement of Rp 140 trillion in emergency liquidity credits
and bring an end to the mystery surrounding use of what they said
was "the people's money".

The protesters expressed fears that many tycoons who had taken
advantage of the financial support were now unable to repay their
debts.

"We want former Bank Indonesia governors like J.B. Sumarlin,
Adrianus Mooy, Radius Prawiro and (the current director) Sjahril
Sabirin to be investigated for malfeasance associated with the
release of liquidity support," student leader Husni M.K. shouted.

Despite the protests, nearby shops and malls including Menteng
Plaza and Sogo Department Store were open for business as usual.

No clashes were reported, but a foreign journalist got more
than he bargained for in the late afternoon when he offered a
tired looking Muhammadiyah student a glass of cendol (a drink
containing droplets of rice flour) near City Hall on Jl. Medan
Merdeka Selatan.

Instead of paying for one glass, the journalist had to buy the
vendor's entire remaining stock after all the students demanded
free drinks. (edt/ivy/bsr)