Thu, 03 Dec 1998

Public approves students action: Poll

JAKARTA (JP): The following are results of a survey on what the people think of the current students movement in the aftermath of the Nov. 13 Black Friday tragedy, the full story of which is presented on Page 1.

1. Do you believe the student movement has been manipulated by certain parties?:

Yes 35.9

No 62.4

Undecided 1.7

2. If your answer to question 1 is yes, state your reason:

It is no longer purely a student movement 42.1

These parties are discontent with the government 27.1

These parties are flexing their muscles 15.8

Agents provocateurs have infiltrated the movement 8.5

Students are immature 7.5

It reflects shifting positions in the reform movement 2.8

Students are not united 2.1 3. If your answer to question 2 is no, state your reason:

Students are not ignorant/ easily provoked 45.3

It remains purely a student movement 31.0

The movement is fighting for the interests of the nation 17.2

The movement makes a convenient scapegoat 14.3

The movement is a spontaneous reaction to the situation 2.8

The movement is widespread in Indonesia 2.7

The security forces are too repressive 2.3 4. Who do you think was most responsible for the Nov. 13

Black Friday tragedy?:

The Armed Forces (ABRI) 65.4

The President 23.8

The Jakarta Military Commander/Jakarta Police Chief 14.7

The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) leadership 11.4

The presence of volunteer security guards (PAM-Swakarsa) 9.5

The students 5.9

Antigovernment elements 3.8

The entire nation 2.5

The National Front 2.8

Intellectuals 1.4 5. If you think ABRI chief Gen. Wiranto was most responsible, state your reason:

He is too arrogant 64.1

ABRI is supposed to protect the people 26.3

The ABRI leadership was responsible for security arrangements 14.2

ABRI supports the rulers 0.4

ABRI is easily divided 0.3 6. If you think the President was most responsible, state your reason:

He had the authority to handle upheavals 65.9

He failed to carry out the people's mandate 18.1

He failed to listen to the people's aspirations 14.9

He is trying to preserve his power 6.9 7. What do you think triggered the Black Friday tragedy?:

Security forces and students lost control 49.0

Low discipline of ABRI members 32.8

The presence of PAM-Swakarsa 17.2

A third party was working to discredit Gen. Wiranto 9.5

A third party was working to stir up trouble 8.6

ABRI wanted to give shock therapy to the student movement 7.8

Student rebellion 4.9

The result of some political engineering 1.5

The security forces consisted of trigger-happy officers 1.1

The security forces worked on specific orders from the ABRI leadership 1.1

It reflects division within ABRI 0.4

It reflects the brutality of the current national leadership 0.3

The Special Session of the People's Consultative Assembly was undemocratic 0.4

Don't know 0.2