Strikers taken to hospital

Strikers taken to hospital

CIREBON, West Java: At least ten students and youths staging a
hunger strike in Cirebon, West Java, were rushed to hospitals on
Sunday, six days after they started their protest to pressure
local prosecutors to investigate alleged malfeasance by local
officials.

One of the hunger strikers was Sholahudin Umar, who had been
unconscious for more than 12 hours by Monday afternoon.

Sholahudin, who joined the hunger strike on Tuesday last week,
was taken to Gunungjati Public hospital on Sunday morning.

Student activist Agung Supirno said four other students had
earlier been taken to a number of different hospitals but had
since been taken home by family members.

A total of 19 students, youths, and women's activists began
their hunger strike on Tuesday to pressure local prosecutors to
take action against abuses of the 2001 state budget.

They have vowed to continue their hunger strike until their
demands are met.

So far, the local prosecutors office has refused to comment on
the students demands. --Antara