Rallies and demonstrations continue throughout the capital

JAKARTA (JP): Having an endless supply of energy, thousands of students and activists, including nuns and taxi drivers, continued their massive rallies on Wednesday. Across the city a wide-range of voices protested for a diversity of causes.

Most of the protesters first gathered at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout before drifting to various nearby areas.

Among the biggest groups present at the rallies were the Student Action Front for Reform and Democracy (Famred), Forum Bersama, and several women organizations such as Suara Ibu Peduli (Voice of Concerned Mothers), Solidaritas Perempuan (Women's Solidarity) and Front Aksi Perempuan Indonesia (Indonesian Women Action Front).

Calls for former president Soeharto to be tried for his "sins" during his 32-year rule were still mounted, along with demands for the security authorities to stop violence, and for President B.J. Habibie and Minister of Defense and Security/Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto to be held accountable for the Nov. 13 deaths of student protesters.

At the same time, hundreds of students from IKIP Teacher's College, Jakarta, thronged the office of the Ministry of Education and Culture on Jl. Sudirman, South Jakarta, demanding a significant increase in the money allocated to education in the government's budget, and the disbandment of the government- sponsored All Indonesian Teachers Association.

In West Jakarta, hundreds of Kosti taxi drivers packed the Merdeka daily office, protesting its report on a robbery committed by a taxi driver, that apparently mistakenly identified the robber as a Kosti employee.

No clashes were reported during any of these peaceful protests. Some of the groups even danced and sang as they protested, giving free entertainment to the large crowds of onlookers, reporters and tiring police and soldiers.

Famred and Forum Bersama began their rallies by gathering on Jl. Kebon Kacang in front of the Sogo department store, near the Hotel Indonesia roundabout.

The crowd of some 1,000 students sang, danced and later sat along the roundabout, immediately causing a traffic jam along the busy streets of Jl. MH. Thamrin and Jl. Sudirman.

At about 3 p.m., the groups headed toward Soeharto's house on Jl. Cendana, Central Jakarta.

Wearing their respective university jackets, and carrying the national flag and banners bearing their demands, the protesters were only able to march for about 1,200 meters before they were blocked by shield-and-stick wielding troops at Suropati Park.

According to Famred member Lutfi, he and his colleagues would continue their efforts to reach Soeharto's house.

"We want to know at which point we can enter. We already know that we will be blocked at Suropati Park. If we can break through, we will continue. If we fail, we will disperse peacefully. We don't want to die in vain," he said.

Another student, Rustam, said that the students would not harm anyone or destroy anything if they manage to reach Cendana.

"We would only gather in front of and inside his house, and talk to the host. We wouldn't violate anything, as that would be a provocation," he said.

According to Menteng police subprecinct head Capt. Firman Shantyabudi, Soeharto was not at his home.

"I don't understand why the students insist on coming to Cendana. He's not there anyway," he told The Jakarta Post.

Overhearing the conversation, one of the protesters, Gorgy, replied: "Well, at least there is still Pak Harto's odor left. His towels, his foot prints."

Earlier, some 100 women grouped together in various women's organizations, marched to the Proklamasi Monument to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, which fell on Wednesday.

Attired in white dresses, carrying flowers and banners, the women released some doves to symbolize their cause.

Among the protesters were nuns, female Moslem students and women activists Debra Yatim, Jajang C. Noer, Karlina Leksono, Ita F. Nadia, Ernalia Pamungkas and Ati Wardiman Djojonegoro.

"Stop rape", "Stop Butchering", "Stop Domestic Violence", "Stop Trafficking Woman", "Stop Oppression, "Stop Racism" read their banners. (edt/ivy)