Student protests mar TNI anniversary

JAKARTA (JP): Anti-military demonstrations in several cities spoiled the 55th anniversary of the Indonesian Military (TNI) on Thursday.

In Bandung, hundreds of students rallied asking the government to withdraw the military's dual function and urged the military (personnel) to stop involvement in business. Gathering at the Siliwangi Military Command headquarters, they said that the military had been too tough against the labor and farmers' movement. The rally which started on Wednesday involved students from the Indonesian Youth Awakening Forum, Parahyangan University Family, the Maranatha Christian University and the Bandung Young Indonesian Forum (FIM-B).

"Military repression has destroyed the country's unity. It's time for the government to stop it," said Diki Heryanto, FIM-B spokesman.

In Banda Aceh, some 500 students flocked to the Teuku Umar Military compound, demanding an end to violence and a thorough probe into human rights violations in the territory.

The students, urging the withdrawal of military and police security personnel from Aceh, rejected the (current) imposition of civil emergency status, and demanded the withdrawal of military dual function.

"Our demands should be considered as a sort of recommendation to help restore peace and security in the area," the protesters' coordinator Samsul Bahari said.

In their three-hour protest, the students also urged the security and the military wing of the Free Aceh Movement (AGAM) to end the violence in the territory.

The Surabaya students expressed their disagreement to the government plan to increase the military budget. "We want the money to fund education programs and help people," Susilo Rahardjo, the student spokesman said, adding that the students rejected military involvement in business.

The students from six organizations also claimed that Oct. 5 was the Awakening of Civilian Supremacy Day, instead of Indonesian Military Day.

In Yogyakarta students rallied in three separate spots in front of the state building (Gedung Negara) on the Malioboro thoroughfare, with similar demands. They rejected TNI's existence in social and political life and demanded that military command offices in provinces, mayoralties and regencies be eliminated.

Each group had between 50 and 200 students. They were from the Committee of Anti-Violence (KMAK), the Crisis Caring Movement of Yogyakarta Institute of the Arts (GPK ISI Yogyakarta), and the Janabadra University.

The peaceful action was spoiled by a group of unidentified people garbed in black, who attacked the KMAK members for unclear reasons. Two KMAK members were injured in the assault.

The Central Java capital of Semarang was also rocked by student demonstrations protesting militarism. Around 100 protesters from the Student Executive Body and Indonesian Student-People Forum (Formasi) grouped and marched in the city's streets, urging the military to return to its main function as the country's defenders only.

They accused the military of abusing human rights and causing prolonged chaos in the country.

The minister

Meanwhile, Minister of National Education Yahya Muhaimin urged the students to keep focused on their fight for reform through dialog and lobbying, instead of violence.

"Lately, many demonstrations and other student movements have ended up in clashes with security forces.

"If these continue, it will be counterproductive, especially since their aspirations would not be realized.

"The students should not have carried weapons or molotov cocktails with them.. What's the use of the stuff if they want to express their aspirations?"

The police and the military, however, should have also restrained themselves, and been more patient.

Staging protests against the military's dual function was part of a democratic process, he said. "But the most important thing is the essence of the protest, which should not be through violence," he stressed.

The minister further expressed his concern over a recent brawl between members of the students' regiment (Menwa) and (ordinary) students at the Krisnadwipayana University in East Jakarta.

"I'm very concerned. It clearly illustrates how violence is so easily used and has become common among students. They have to grow up," he said. (team)