Police officers take over IAIN rector's office after clash

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 They promised to continue their protests until the new fee was rescinded.