Student brawls hit Makassar university, 15 injured

Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar, South Sulawesi

At least 15 people were injured in a series of brawls between students from two schools at the state-run Hasanuddin University (Unhas) in Makassar, South Sulawesi.

The clashes, involving students from the school of engineering and the school of social and political sciences (Fisipol), continued through Friday and Saturday, died down on Sunday, and resumed again on Monday.

The first brawl injured seven students, while two others and a security guard were wounded in Saturday's clash.

The rival students resumed fighting on Monday, leaving at least five injured after they were hit by stones and other hard objects.

Monday's clash, which erupted at 2 p.m. also damaged windows in the university. It ended after around 30 police officers arrived to quell the unrest.

The university administrators had to cancel final tests in the social and political sciences school and the school of letters as a result of the brawl.

The clashes were believed to be sparked by the attempted mugging of a student from the engineering faculty by a number of drunken students from the school of letters.

Enraged, the victim and 20 of his fellow students arrived at the office of the school of arts student senate to find the would-be muggers.

As one of the suspects fled to the social and political sciences school, his pursuers started hurling stones after him. This triggered anger among the students of the social and political science school and spurred the first clash on Friday.

The clashes continued on Saturday and Monday despite efforts by university officials to calm down the rival students.

Clashes between rival students are regular occurrences in Makassar. Most of them are caused by personal matters.

In 2002, a clash also hit Hasunuddin University with students setting ablaze the laboratories belonging to the engineering school.

On Feb. 26, 2003, the State University of Makassar (UNM) was closed for three days after seven people were injured in a mass brawl involving hundreds of students from different schools.