Police top brass fired after protest turns ugly

Andi Hajramurni, Makassar, South Sulawesi

At least 61 students sustained serious injuries here on Saturday after the police stormed their campus following a protest against the rearrest of a controversial Muslim cleric.

Police said they stormed the Indonesian Muslim University (UMI) campus to rescue a police officer who had been being taken hostage by the students. It took them about 10 minutes to rescue the policemen, during which they fired warning shots and beat up students. One student was shot in the thigh while another's head was grazed by a bullet.

Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, 66, was rearrested on Friday, moments after being released from a Jakarta prison after serving an 18- month jail term for immigration-related offenses. Police claim they have new evidence that implicates the cleric in a string of terror attacks in the country between 1999 and 2002. A suspect can be detained up to six months under the new Antiterrorism Law.

National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar promptly fired three Makassar Police chiefs after the university incident.

"They have been removed from their positions because the brutality of their men is their responsibility," South Sulawesi Police chief Insp. Gen. Jusuf Manggabarani said, "Their actions in handling the student rally did not follow proper procedure."

Jusuf identified the officers as Makassar Police chief Sr. Comr. Jose Rizal Effendi, East Makassar Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Eko Suprianto and Panakukang Police chief Adj. Comr. Namora Simanjuntak. Twenty-one policemen involved in the incident are being questioned.

Jusuf disclosed that the three police officers had been removed during his visit to injured students in Bhayangkara Police Hospital.

"The police chief (Da'i Bachtiar) immediately ordered me to remove the officers in charge because the brutality of their men is their responsibility," he said.

An earlier clash broke out following a rally held by students in front of the local General Elections Commission (KPUD) office to protest against two retired senior military officers who are running for president.

Former top security minister Gen. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and former military chief Gen. Wiranto have emerged as leading contenders in the July 5 presidential election.

During the rally, the students tried to burn a military uniform, but the police beat them and then dispersed them before they could do so. At least 26 students were arrested in the rally.

Upon learning that fellow students had been arrested, the group of students rallying against the arrest of the Muslim cleric demanded their release.

The rally, however, turned ugly when the students dragged traffic police officer First Brig. Sudirman onto the campus and held him hostage.

Policemen reacted by raiding the campus, charging up to the third-floor classrooms. They kicked and beat students with their firearms and sticks. Dozens of students were forced to undress and duckwalk downstairs.

Most of the students suffered from head injuries and were covered in blood.

Some junior students who were not involved in the rally were also beaten even though they claimed ignorance about the hostage- taking and asked for mercy from the angry policemen.

The police officers also yelled at and beat lecturers when they protected the students and tried to reason with the police.

Moments before he was replaced, Makassar Police chief Sr. Comr Jose Rizal Effendi said his men had followed police procedure when storming the campus.

"We entered the campus to release a fellow officer taken hostage by the students but they resisted us. We had no other option," he said.