Rights official meets Ujungpandang students
JAKARTA (JP): The secretary-general of the National Commission on Human Rights, Baharuddin Lopa, tried yesterday to bring calm to Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi, where student protests of government-decreed bus fare hikes have officially left three people dead.
"There has to be a consensus so the learning activities of the students can be resumed," Lopa said during talks at Ujungpandang's Wirabuana military headquarters, which were attended by student representatives, military officials and college administrators.
The city-wide protest began on April 23, two days after the governor decreed a 66 percent hike in public transportation fares. Ordinary mini bus fares were increased from Rp 300 (13 U.S. cents) to Rp 500, with students fares set at Rp 200.
Students argue that in practice, the special fares for them have never been enforced and that they usually end up paying the regular fares.
During the three-hour meeting, the students aired their grievances along with complaints about the way security forces handled the demonstration.
Lopa expressed his hope that the grievances would be settled in a peaceful manner.
Separately at the South Sulawesi provincial legislature, about 100 public mini bus drivers demanded that the fare increases go into effect immediately.
In the wake of the protest, the governor has suspended the fare hike.
As reported by Antara, the drivers were met by speaker Alim Bachrie and his deputy Nurdin Mappewali.
Meanwhile in Jakarta, more than 50 students from the local chapter of the Islamic Students Association yesterday staged a noisy demonstration against the military's use of force in quelling the demonstrations in Ujungpandang.
The banner-waving students expressed their anger with the Armed Forces (ABRI) faction at the House of Representatives.
In the House foyer, they took turns chanting slogans and reading poems denouncing the military's harsh actions.
"The use of violence is unacceptable. ABRI must punish its members who failed to obey standard procedures," the students said in a written statement.
The Armed Forces headquarters in Jakarta has promised to investigate the incident in which thousands of students from various universities in Ujungpandang took to the streets.
There have been different versions of the number of fatalities, from the official account of three to the students' claim of six along with about 60 students injured.
Lt. Gen. Soeyono, chief of ABRI's general affairs, has repeatedly said the three died because they plunged into a river near the Moslem University to evade security officers. He claimed that the three could not swim.
The angry Ujungpandang students blocked streets and vandalized public mini buses, or pete-pete, and police motorbikes before police officers and troops managed to control the situation.
South Sulawesi military district chief Brig. Gen. Fachrul Razi said on Monday that two students have been detained for carrying a machete and burning vehicles at the time of the riot.
House member Sadiman from the ABRI faction told the protesters yesterday that they should not doubt the Armed Forces' promise to investigate the riot.
The ABRI faction has refused the students' demand to set up an independent team to investigate the incident, saying that the ABRI team can handle it alone.
Student Eko Kuntiadi questioned why security officers entered campuses and vandalized the college's equipment as they scoured the campus looking for protesting students.
"We heard that security officers destroyed one laboratory and badly damaged a lot of equipment. I was wondering if that is standard procedure in handling a protest," he said.
His colleague Esa Setiawan criticized ABRI's leadership in Jakarta for their slow response to the incident, which was widely covered by local and international media. (pan/mds)