Rectors to regulate campus rallies: Minister

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Education and Culture Wiranto Arismunandar said it was up to individual rectors to decide whether student rallies and activities had delved into the forbidden area of "practical politics".

"Judgment on whether the activities are practical politics is in the hands of each university rector," he said yesterday, adding that a rector had the right to decide whether students' rallies were practical politics or a moral movement.

"As leaders, university rectors should be able to handle problems emerging at campuses. However, I am also responsible for what they do to their students," Wiranto remarked.

After meeting with rectors of state universities and the heads of provincial education and culture offices, the minister announced that students were prohibited from engaging in practical politics.

Those who violate the ban could face tough sanctions, including dismissal.

Wiranto was, however, vague on how he defined practical politics. Instead of clarifying his statement, the minister left the parameters even more ambiguous yesterday as he left it up to individual rectors to decide.

Saturday's statement came in the wake of a string of student rallies demanding political and economic reforms. Students have also been clamoring for the dismissal of officials whom they consider either corrupt or responsible for the economic dire straits faced by the country.

Wiranto brushed aside demands yesterday for the resignation of some officials, saying it reflected the students ignorance of the mechanism of state affairs.

Infiltrate

In Semarang, Central Java, the chief of provincial military command Maj. Gen. Mardiyanto said he believed student activities may have been infiltrated by groups highly adverse to the government.

Speaking in the small town of Ambarawa, about 20 km south of Semarang, Mardiyanto used as an example the recent wave of demonstrations at the Gadjah Mada University campus in Yogyakarta which resulted in severe clashes between students and security forces.

Large demonstrations were held there on Thursday and Friday, with the latter resulting in police chasing down students into classrooms.

Mardiyanto suggested that East Timorese separatists may have been the infiltrators.

"Because of outside influence, what started out as a genuine peaceful show of concern turned violent," he said as quoted by Antara.

He then proceeded to display a video of Thursday's demonstration to journalists which displayed students becoming very violent toward security officers and allegedly showed a Fretilin independence movement flag being waved.

Brutality

Separately, Seno Gumira Ajidarma, chief editor of Jakarta- Jakarta magazine, was quoted by Jawa Pos on Monday as saying that his son, Timur Angin, was brutally attacked by security officers during Friday's demonstration. His son's head was stepped on by the officers, he said.

Seno said he had given power of attorney to the Legal Aid Institute in Yogayakarta to sue the Armed Forces commander on his behalf.

He contended that his son was merely taking pictures at the time of the demonstration and was not a participant.

"Actually I'm not too interested in the politics of this country, but this is a disgrace to human rights," he said.

Meanwhile, the condition of two police intelligence officers who were beaten up Saturday by students on Gadjah Mada University campus in Yogyakarta continued to improve yesterday.

Sgt. Maj. Yuswo Hadi, who is in the intensive care unit at the Sardjito hospital in Yogyakarta, is getting better, according to an aide.

"He's still being treated in ICU, but he's better now. Doctors have said there was nothing to worry about," Suprapto told The Jakarta Post by telephone.

Suprapto said Hadi had attracted the attention of National Police Chief Gen. Dibyo Widodo, who had informed the hospital that he would visit the patient.

"But, the police chief has yet to show up," he added.

Suprapto said Hadi's colleague, Sgt. Wahyudi, was also improving.

Both Hadi and Wahyudi were reportedly beaten up by angry students who spotted the two carrying handguns and walkie-talkies during a student rally.

National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Da'i Bachtiar defended the two officers Monday, saying they had a right to enter the campus grounds. He said the law permitted officers to conduct their duty anywhere in the country.

"The areas include university campuses. It is wrong to say that officers cannot enter without a request from university officials," Da'i said.

Da'i called the beating outrageous and said the responsible students could be punished for violating the law.

Dozens of students have been detained for questioning, he said, but none had been declared suspects.

"Why are people allergic to intelligence officers when they have not violated any laws? The two officers did nothing wrong. They were only on a routine investigation," he said. (aan/edt)