Protests over Arief's dismissal continue
Protests over Arief's dismissal continue
SALATIGA, Central Java (JP): Four days later, students
protesting last week's dismissal of lecturer Arief Budiman
continued to demonstrate at Satya Wacana Christian University
yesterday.
Hundreds of students and teachers from the respected
university held a noisy protest in front of rector John Joy
Ihalaw's office, demanding that Arief be reinstated and democracy
on the campus be restored.
Sonny Ely Zaluzu, who coordinated the demonstration, said the
protest was only a "warm-up" for other massive ones that would
involve "thousands" of students and teachers from all faculties.
The protesters waved banners and chanted slogans mocking the
rector and the chairman of the foundation managing the
university, Semangun.
"Now Arief, who is next?" a poster read. "Show Joy the right
way," said another.
The university fired Arief, an ardent critic of the rector and
the government, last week on charges that he ignored warnings
issued as disciplinary measures.
The Harvard educated sociologist is well-known internationally
for his critical views on the Indonesian political and economic
systems.
His dismissal is widely seen as a symbol of the repression of
freedom of expression, at least within the Satya Wacana
University.
Leaders of the university have reportedly refused to
reconsider his dismissal despite the mounting opposition and
criticism from many quarters outside the college.
Richard Hutapea, head of the university's research institute,
said he was worried that Arief's dismissal might cause foreign
donors review their aid to the college.
"Satya Wacana has enjoyed much assistance from foreign
agencies for its tradition of democracy and its critical stand of
the system," he told The Jakarta Post.
Meanwhile, sympathy for Arief continued to stream in
yesterday. Street vendors befriended by Arief also joined the
demonstrators.
Student and teacher sources said a massive demonstration would
be held on Monday. They plan to march to the grave of the
university's founder, Notohamidjojo, who laid the foundation for
the university's once democratic tradition.
In a related development, 42 academics from various
universities in Australia sent a petition to the Indonesian
Education and Culture Minister Wardiman Djojonegoro yesterday
expressing their concern over Arief's dismissal.
"It is a matter of great concern to us that several Indonesian
colleagues are being subject to harassment for exercising their
right to free speech," said the petition, a copy of which was
made available to the Post.
They also expressed concern over the police's charging
intellectual George Junus Aditjondro, also from Satya Wacana
University, with insulting the government in a seminar.
"It is a sad disservice to the educational system that such
teachers should be victimized for passing on the strength of
their scholarship," the statement said. (har/pan)