Police shoot two students in Kampar rally
Police shoot two students in Kampar rally
Haidir Anwar Tanjung
The Jakarta Post
Pekanbaru, Riau
Violence erupted in Kampar regency on Tuesday with police firing
live rounds at thousands of protesting teachers, students and
civil servants who pressed for their demand that Kampar Regent
Jefri Noer be immediately dismissed.
At least two students sustained serious gunshot wounds, while
dozens of others were also injured after being beaten during the
clash with police officers in Bangkinang, the capital city of
Kampar, about 60 miles from the provincial capital Pekanbaru.
The clash took place at the Mahligai Bungsu Building, where
the demonstrators gathered at 9 a.m. for a massive rally against
the regent.
They demanded that Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno
immediately issue a decree to uphold the recent unanimous vote by
regency council to oust Jefri.
At around 10 a.m. three police trucks appeared and penetrated
the crowd, sparking tension at the scene.
Kampar police operations chief Comr. Hasyim told the
demonstrators to disperse, saying the rally was illegal as the
authorities had not issued a permit.
However, he admitted later that the police had been notified
of the planned demonstration.
Hasyim said that there must not be a mass gathering except for
those campaigning for political parties during the current three-
week campaign period.
Protest coordinator M. Idris later told the demonstrators to
bow to the police's order to disband.
But many protesters refused to leave, apparently waiting for
trucks to pick them up first.
The police became enraged by the protesters' slow pace, so a
number of officers climbed up onto the stage used for orations
during the rally, and beat and kicked nearly a dozen activists.
The demonstrators then yelled and jeered at the police,
calling them arrogant and other expletives. Minutes later, the
security forces fired warning shots and tear gas into the crowd.
The crowd responded by pelting the police with stones. The
clash lasted for some two hours.
At least five high school students were arrested.
Local councillor Nasri Yunus condemned the violence by the
police, saying it was inhuman and brutal.
The police should not have tried to forcefully disburse the
protesters by force because they had notified them about the
rally a day earlier, he added.
Idris also slammed the police officer's brutality and urged
all civil servants, including teachers, to continue striking
until after Jefri's dismissal was officially approved by the
central government.
"It's our commitment. The strike will end only when Jefri Noer
has been removed by the home affairs minister. Otherwise,
education activities and public services in Kampar will come to a
complete standstill," he said.