Student demonstrations continue

Student demonstrations continue

JAKARTA (JP): Thousands of university students in the city
continued to demonstrate yesterday by holding free-speech forums
on their campuses.

At the University of Indonesia (UI) campus in Salemba, Central
Jakarta, students gathered to hear speeches by, among others, MK
Tadjudin, a former UI rector; Mahar Mardjono, also a former UI
rector; Hari Darmawan, head of the university alumni association;
and Hariman Siregar, a former head of the UI student council.

Tadjudin said that all the university's lecturers supported
the demonstrations, which they consider to be a moral movement,
within constitutional limits, and an expression of very genuine
concern.

"The student movement reflects the conscience of the people,"
Mahar was quoted by Antara as having said.

At the forum, students hung a banner above the balcony of the
university medical school which demanded a reduction of prices,
the provision of more job opportunities, an end to extortion and
repression, and a special session of the People's Consultative
Assembly (MPR).

Another banner proclaimed: Students, People, the Armed Forces,
Be United!

The free-speech forum was disturbed by the arrival of scores
of students from other universities, including the Indonesian
Accountancy Foundation and Gunadarma.

Shortly after that, senior high school students drew up in a
bus and became involved in clashes with security officers. The
forum was ended at noon.

Students were later prevented from leaving the campus and
mingling with a large mob which had started a disturbance in
nearby areas.

Meanwhile, Gen. (ret.) Abdul Haris Nasution, Indonesia's most
senior living general, visited the parents of Elang Mulya, one of
the four Trisakti University students killed during a
demonstration on Tuesday.

In his brief visit, Nasution said students should pursue
political reform despite challenges.

At the House of Representatives, 103 lecturers from the
University of Indonesia filed a petition with the ruling Golkar
party faction Wednesday, expressing their concern over the
deteriorating economic and political crisis.

On a related development, thousands of Tarakanita Secretary
Academy students in Cawang, East Jakarta, were involved in a
clash with security forces who prevented them from joining a
massive free-speech forum on the neighboring Indonesian Christian
University (UKI) campus.

But the dispute was quickly resolved when students moved back
onto their campus.

During a peaceful rally in front of Atmajaya Catholic
University on Jl. Jend. Sudirman in South Jakarta yesterday,
students and local people were seen embracing and shaking hands
with security personnel.

About 90 anti-riot officers from the Army Special Forces
(Kopassus) mingled with the crowd, which consisted largely of
youngsters, and chatted with them.

One of the officers took a megaphone and asked the crowd to
disperse peacefully.

"ABRI (the Armed Forces) will go hand in hand with the people.
We realize that we come from the same stock," the officer said.

"We ask you all to disperse conscientiously and calmly and
return to your own residences," he said.

"Long Live ABRI!" the crowd responded in unison. The
protesters and the officers sang patriotic songs together, but
demonstrators did not immediately leave the site.

Students later emerged from their campus to take photographs
with the officers. Some even asked the soldiers about their
weapons and equipment.

A student and an officer clasped hands to show solidarity.

"We all suffer, sir," the student said, and the officer nodded
in response.

Military officials said the relaxed attitude was part of the
Armed Forces' strategy for maintaining public trust and
sympathies.

"I'm very pleased. The people did not respond brutally toward
us. They still love us," said Sgt. Kurnia.

"I don't believe that all students are destructive," Second
Sgt. Tono said.

"A stone thrown from the crowd when we arrived here nearly hit
me in the face, but I told myself,'It's OK, I will meet my
brothers and sisters here anyway,'" First Private Octavianus
said.

When the crowd grew in size, police officers from a nearby
station were deployed in the area.

The police, who lined up 100 meters from Semanggi flyover,
fired warning shots when the crowd moved forward. No serious
injuries were reported.

The crowd responded by throwing stones, but their attempts to
move forward were blocked by the military. (team)