Security personnel

Security personnel have shown their true colors at last: shooting at students who were returning to their campus. "To shower with bullets" is no exaggeration, as could clearly be seen on TV (RCTI and SCTV). The number of bullet shells collected after the incident could fill a big box.

The comment given by a Trisakti university student on TV that "we were shot like animals" is correct. It is ironic, however, that the police have tried to cover up the act by using a cliche: "A third party is playing a game." Please note the statement made by a Jakarta Police spokesman in Bisnis Indonesia of May 13: "It's nothing but false news. No one died in the student demonstration this morning..." How strange, the spokesman was unaware of what was going on in the field.

What's wrong with the coordination among state departments? Come what may, the incident claimed victims. Many more victims may fall if the bureaucracy does not make the slightest attempt to understand the real demands of students. The students' demands are crystal clear, namely that the people no longer have any trust in the government and, therefore, the present regime should resign and give another party the opportunity to take over the reins. A change of government is an ordinary occurrence elsewhere in the world.

It seems that the bureaucracy is too reluctant to learn from the past. In 1966, Arief Rachman Hakim was capable of inspiring and inciting tens of thousands of other students to force president Sukarno to step down. Now, six students who fell victim in the bloody May 12 incident will be able to multiply the student demonstrators by six times.

Before it's too late, we call on those who love this country and nation to side with the people and listen to their voices. The government may change, but the people remain as they are.

OLEG BANTIANOV

Jakarta