Soeharto gives students new reminder
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto has again urged students to return to their studies, reminding them that university campuses were built for learning not staging nonacademic activities.
The President noted that if the current succession of student demonstrations and rallies continued it would disrupt the teaching process.
"The president remarked that campuses were built as learning institutions to prepare leaders of the future," Maj. Gen. Tyasno Soedarto told journalists after meeting with Soeharto at Bina Graha presidential office here yesterday.
"Of course with the recurring demonstrations the process of learning is disturbed on the campuses," the newly installed commander of the Diponegoro Military Command said, quoting Soeharto.
Tyasno and his predecessor, Maj. Gen. Mardiyanto, met with the President to report on the change in command.
Tyasno was installed Monday, while Mardiyanto was promoted to assistant to the Armed Forces chief of sociopolitical affairs.
Yesterday's caution for students to return to class was the third made by the President this week.
On Wednesday, Soeharto through Minister of Education and Culture Wiranto Arismunandar told students to return to their studies because the nation badly needed their skills and leadership in the future.
The following day, the President, in a written address at the 46th anniversary celebrations for the Army's special force (Kopassus), said the security apparatuses could use repressive measures to deal with demonstrators in a critical or emergency situation.
Tyasno yesterday vowed to employ persuasive and educative approaches with students in his area of command -- Central Java and Yogyakarta.
"They (demonstrations) are still tolerable as far as they are carried out in accordance with the rules of the game," the two- star general said.
The area of Tyasno's new command has witnessed some of the bloodiest clashes recently between students and security forces.
At least five police officers and a dozen youths were injured in Yogyakarta early this month when about 2,000 students clashed violently with 500 security personnel.
Separately, visiting United States Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs Stanley Roth expressed hope that the demonstrations could proceed peacefully with both students and authorities exercising restraint.
"The most important thing is that students express their feelings peacefully and there is an ability from the authorities to avoid violence," he said, adding that officials have assured him of their wish to keep the demonstrations peaceful.
"I emphasize the importance of continuing restraints on the part of the authorities in terms of dealing with the demonstrations," Roth said. "Obviously, the U.S. supports freedom of expression."
Speaking to journalists at a media briefing here yesterday, Roth also stressed the need for an effective dialog between students and authorities to be established.
He also called on the Indonesian government to investigate the case of the missing activists.
He said he had appealed to Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas and other officials to investigate. "I urged them to do this as soon as possible."
According to Roth, the officials he has met with have indicated "they understood the seriousness of this issue and are taking steps to clarify the status of the disappeared".
Roth, during his stay, has met with, among others, Vice President B.J. Habibie, Minister of Environment Juwono Sudarsono, and Coordinating Minister for Economy, Finance and Industry Ginandjar Kartasamita. (prb)