Peaceful rally marks Trisakti shooting
JAKARTA (JP): Around 5,000 Trisakti University students flocked to their campus in Grogol, West Jakarta, on Wednesday to mark the first anniversary of the fatal shooting of four of their classmates during a peaceful demonstration outside the university.
The day began with the unfurling of a gigantic black cloth over the Trisakti emblem on the university building at 8:30 a.m.
Parents and girlfriends of the four victims cried as they watched the ceremony proceed.
Wreaths of flowers were placed at points around the campus and students reflected on the lives and untimely deaths of Elang Mulya Lesmana from the school of architecture, Hendrawan Sie, economics, Hafidhin Royan, industrial engineering and Heri Hartanto, mechanical engineering.
The shootings triggered a massive outburst of rioting, looting and arson in the capital and set of a chain of events which led to the downfall of then-president Soeharto on May 21.
Trisakti University Rector Thoby Mutis said the four students, who were killed when security personnel opened fire on protesting students, would live on in the memories of those who had been touched by their tragic demise.
Thoby made the remarks while opening a museum on the university campus on Wednesday.
The museum contains a statue depicting soldiers opening fire on two students, photographs of last year's May 12 shooting incident and the four victims, and other reminders of the tragic day, including an oil-painting, school bag and notes that belonged to Elang and a denim jacket that belonged to Hendrawan.
"The statues alone cost Rp 30 million...and the whole museum was developed at a cost of Rp 150 million. The cost was nothing. The value is in the meaning of the museum," Thoby told reporters.
Later on Wednesday, Thoby, along with parents of the victims, laid the cornerstones of a memorial to the dead students in the university's grounds.
The memorial, designed by Dedy Hermawan and Muchrifin from the university's school of architecture, will consist of four towers of between 10 meters and 12 meters in height.
"It will be made of black granite and steel," Dedy said, adding that construction was expected to be completed on Oct. 28 or Nov. 10.
"Oct. 28 is Youth Pledge Day and Nov. 10 is Hero's Day," he explained.
Shortly after the museum's official opening, a video depicting scenes of the fatal demonstration was played. The footage included a police officer kicking the head of a student who was weeping on the ground.
"This is just one example of how things have gone terribly wrong in this country. We should never forget the shooting incident," Dedy said.
This sentiment was shared by politician Sri Bintang Pamungkas, who went to the campus on Wednesday to share in the students' grief and remembrance.
"(Minister of Defense and Security/Indonesian Military Commander) Pak Wiranto should step down. The police should be separated from the military and allowed to conduct a thorough investigation of the incident," Sri Bintang said. (ylt)